ABC host George Stephanopoulos grilled New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) for supporting Donald Trump after attacking him during the primaries.
During a Sunday interview on ABC's This Week program, Stephanopoulos asked Sununu if he would support Trump even if he is convicted in a criminal trial. While supporting Nikki Haley earlier, Sununu had said Trump should drop out if convicted.
"This morning, history being made, tomorrow that criminal trial, will your support for Donald Trump continue even if he's convicted in Manhattan?" the ABC host asked.
"Yeah, look, this trial is not going to have major political ramifications that a lot of people I think think it may have," Sununu scoffed. "When it comes to these issues, people see it more as reality TV at this point."
"Well, yeah, you're going to politics, though I'm asking you about right and wrong," Stephanopoulos pointed out. "You're comfortable with the idea of supporting someone who's convicted of a federal crime as president?"
"Well, I don't — I don't think any American is comfortable with any of this," Sununu replied. "But I mean, when it comes to actually looking at each of these trials as they kind of take place, whether it's this year or next year, as they kind of line up the right now, this is about an election."
"Look, nobody should be shocked that the Republican governor supporting the Republican president," the governor added.
"You said, it is clear that President Trump's rhetoric and actions contributed to the insurrection," Stephanopoulos pressed.
Sununu said he stood by his statement about Jan. 6.
"His actions absolutely contributed to that," he admitted. "There's no question about that. I hate the election denialism of 2020. Nobody wants to be talking about that in 2024. I think all of that was absolutely terrible."
"But wait a second right there," the ABC host interrupted. "Your words were very, very clear on January 11th, 2021. You said that President Trump's rhetoric and actions contributed to the insurrection."
"That doesn't make any sense to me, Governor," Stephanopoulos observed. "I'm sorry. You're saying it's not about Trump. You're saying he would be the president. And you've said he's someone who's contributed to an insurrection."
"I understand it doesn't make sense to you, George, but look at the polls," Sununu responded. "What you're telling me is you don't understand why 51% of this country is supporting Donald Trump."
