Sununu rips Scott after Trump endorsement: ‘Nobody’ thinks he will unite the country

by Lauren Irwin - 01/20/24 2:16 PM ET

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) took another swipe at Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) for endorsing former President Trump, after the senator said the country needs a president “who will unite our country.”

“Tim Scott actually just looked in the camera and said ‘Donald Trump’s going to unite the country.’ Not even Donald Trump believes that statement,” Sununu told Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto on Saturday. “I mean, nobody thinks Donald Trump’s united the country.”

Scott, who suspended his own White House bid in November, endorsed Trump Friday during a rally in New Hampshire, just days before the first-in-the-nation GOP primary. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has earned the support of Sununu, and speculation surrounded who Scott would choose to back.

Sununu claims the South Carolina senator should have given his endorsement to Haley, arguing he wouldn’t “have a job” if it weren’t for her.

The Granite State governor reiterated that message on Saturday, saying that he found it “disrespectful more than anything” that Scott chose to back the former president.

“So the fact that they want Donald Trump back in there … that never really gave them leadership, that never really held them accountable, where Nikki Haley will do it,” he said. “Nikki Haley is going to demand more out of the Republicans in the U.S. Senate.”

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While Sununu said he doesn’t think Trump will unite the country, he told Cavuto that if the former president becomes the GOP nominee, he will support him in the general election. He made the same pledge earlier this month, saying he would back whoever is challenging Biden in November.

The New Hampshire primary, the second contest in the 2024 election season, is slated for Tuesday, Jan. 23.

According to polling averages from The Hill/ Decision Desk HQ, Trump is leading with 45.6 percent support, while Haley is in second place with 35 percent. Haley has made significant strides in the state after earning Sununu’s endorsement and thanks to several strong debate performances.