Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu appeared flabbergasted Tuesday as Fox News host Harris Faulkner scolded him for calling former President Donald Trump a “coward.”
Sununu, top backer of Nikki Haley’s presidential run, said Trump would bring “chaos” for the next four years and argued that Haley could win New Hampshire and other swing states in the general election.
A recent Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe tracking poll showed Trump leading Haley by 22 points in New Hampshire, following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ exit from the race on Sunday.
“I want to see you debate Donald Trump,” Faulkner told Sununu.
“I would pay to do that if that coward would get on a stage with anybody, any of us would love to—” he began in response.
“No name calling,” Faulkner interrupted.
“Please,” Sununu responded.
“We don’t do the name calling,” the Fox News host said. (RELATED: ‘You Are Exhausting’: Nikki Haley Slams ABC Host Over Media’s ‘Obsession’ With Trump)
“No, he’s a coward. You cannot say you’re in a presidential campaign but be too afraid to get on a debate stage and defend it. Come on,” Sununu said, before Faulkner ended the segment for the commercial break.
The four-term governor endorsed Haley one month before the New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary. After campaigning with several candidates in his state, he praised Haley for being able to “connect with folks” and said he is “all in” on her.
In June, Sununu declined to run for president and subsequently announced that he would not seek another two-year term as governor.
The New Hampshire governor has been a staunch opponent of Trump, and said in June that he does not believe the former president will be the nominee. He has also argued that Trump’s nomination for 2024 would lead to more Republican losses.
“He can’t win in November of 2024. The math has shown Donald Trump has no chance to win. He won’t even win Georgia. He’s proven that. Not only has he proven that, but the candidates he gets behind in Georgia lose the race. His messaging doesn’t translate. It does well with a 35 percent base, but he loses everybody beyond there,” Sununu told Bash.
Sununu previously said Haley would win the New Hampshire primary in a “landslide,” but later told “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker that Haley is focusing on “momentum” building in the state following Trump’s decisive victory in Iowa.