Kristen Welker presses Sununu on supporting Trump in general election
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Sunday was repeatedly questioned by NBC anchor Kristen Welker over his pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee, even if it is former President Trump as a hypothetical convicted felon.
The exchange, during a NBC "Meet the Press" interview, started when Welker asked for Sununu's reaction to Trump remarks about presidential immunity over the weekend, in which he argued any president should be allowed immunity so "that president can act, and do what he feels, and what his group of advisors feel is the absolute right thing."
Sununu said he does not agree with Trump's presidential immunity argument and that "everybody should be concerned with that type of mentality going into the White House."
Sununu, who has endorsed former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley's White House bid, said earlier this month he would support the eventual Republican nominee, even if it is Trump, who could be a convicted felon. Welker on Sunday asked Sununu how he could make this sort of vow given the fact he disagrees with the former president's argument.
"Look, at the end of the day, I think most Republicans are going to get behind the Republican nominee. I'm hoping that it's obviously Nikki Haley. This is how bad Joe Biden is. Six months ago Trump couldn't beat Biden," Sununu responded, before listing off various issues facing the country.
"So this is where we've come, where Joe Biden is so bad that even folks would get behind Donald Trump," he added later.
Welker then pressed Sununu again how he could support Trump, whom the governor has previously said contributed to the Jan. 6 riots.
"And yet you're saying that the comments by Donald Trump, everyone should be worried about that. You have said earlier that Trump's rhetoric and actions contributed to the January 6th insurrection. How can you support someone who you believe contributed to the insurrection?" Welker asked.
Sununu appeared to avoid directly answering the question and brought the focus to New Hampshire, which will hold the first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday.
"We're...we’re here in New Hampshire in the first nation primary. No one's really thinking about the general election right now. If you want to beat Donald Trump, it has to happen at the ballot box," Sununu said.
Welker then asked for a third time if Sununu would vote for Trump in the general election "despite all of these comments, despite his comments on immunity, despite what you said about the insurrection."
Sununu did not answer the question directly, instead pointing to polling, "Well, according to the polls, most of America would. This is how – I mean, this is what you guys don't report on. This is how bad Biden has been, this is how incompetent he's been."
Welker switched gears and asked the New Hampshire governor if he believes Trump would follow the Constitution if reelected in November, to which Sununu said, "My sense is if... he were in... there in a second term, you know, not a whole lot is going to happen. Because nobody's going to be willing to work with him-"
Welker interjected and asked again, "Do you think he [Trump] would follow the Constitution?"
Sununu responded, "I would hope so."
Welker sought to clarify his comments, asking Sununu if he is "really not confident" Trump would follow the Constitution and that he's instead just "hopeful."
"I would say that about any president. I would hope so. I'd hope Joe Biden would, I would hope any of them would. Yes," he answered.
A polling index maintained by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ shows Trump with a 11.1 point lead over Haley in the Granite State. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trails far behind, polling in at single digits, according to the polling index.