Trump hints he'd back longtime critic's bid to flip Dem Senate seat in 2026: 'I hope he runs'

It appears that President Donald Trump has buried the hatchet erstwhile it comes to erstwhile New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who for years was a apical Republican professional of the erstwhile and existent president.

Trump present says that if Sununu runs for the Senate successful 2026 for the spot presently held by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, his erstwhile antagonist would person his afloat support.

Sununu, who successful January completed his 4th and last two-year word steering plaything authorities New Hampshire, told Fox News Digital successful an interrogation past period that helium aimed to marque a determination regarding a 2026 run successful the "next fewer weeks."

He emphasized that "I person nary uncertainty I'd person the president's support," if helium decided to marque a bid for the Senate.

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President Donald Trump talks to members of the property aboard Air Force One during a formation to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, connected April 6, 2025. ( REUTERS/Kent Nishimura )

Trump, erstwhile asked by reporters astir Sununu arsenic helium flew to Washington, D.C., connected Sunday nighttime aboard Air Force One, revealed that the 2 politicians met precocious astatine the White House.

"I told him — He came to my office, came to the Oval Office, and [I] met with Chris Sununu, and I enactment him fully. I anticipation helium runs," Trump said. "He’s been precise bully to maine implicit the past twelvemonth oregon so, but no, I anticipation helium runs. I deliberation he’ll triumph that seat."

Sununu supported Trump during the 2016 wide predetermination and again erstwhile Trump unsuccessfully ran for re-election successful 2020. The then-governor had a beardown moving narration with the Trump White House, including adjacent ties with then-Vice President Mike Pence.

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However, Sununu pushed backmost against Trump’s unproven claims that the 2020 statesmanlike election was "rigged" and "stolen." He besides started stating successful aboriginal 2021 that the GOP was larger than immoderate 1 person, which was perceived arsenic a swipe astatine the then-former president.

Sununu amped up his disapproval of the erstwhile president during galore nationalist interviews connected cablegram quality networks and Sunday speech shows, repeatedly arguing that Trump had excessively overmuch governmental baggage to triumph backmost the White House. Additionally, Sununu began mulling a imaginable 2024 White House run of his own, which helium yet decided against. 

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire endorses erstwhile South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley astatine a run lawsuit successful Manchester, New Hampshire, connected Dec. 12, 2023. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

However, helium ended up backing and becoming a apical surrogate of erstwhile South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley successful the 2024 GOP statesmanlike primary. Haley ended up being the last rival to Trump successful the information race.

Trump occasionally returned occurrence astatine Sununu, calling him a "spoiled brat" and a "nasty guy," among different things.

However, aft Trump clinched the 2024 GOP nomination, Sununu said helium would ballot for his party's statesmanlike nominee.

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Earlier this year, Sununu said successful a Fox News Digital interrogation that "Donald Trump is the caput of the party, and he's the dependable of the Republican Party, and I got to say, I deliberation he's doing a beauteous darn bully occupation successful the archetypal mates months."

Regarding a potential 2026 Senate run for a spot Republicans are aiming to flip from bluish to reddish arsenic they anticipation to grow their existent 53-47 bulk successful the chamber, Sununu told Fox News Digital past period that portion "the door’s open" to running, helium emphasized "it's not unfastened a lot, to beryllium honest."

Sununu, who was elected and re-elected to 4 consecutive two-year presumption arsenic governor, touted that "I person nary uncertainty I tin win."

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire is interviewed by Fox News Digital connected his last afloat time successful office, connected Jan. 8, 2025 astatine the Statehouse successful Concord, New Hampshire. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

The erstwhile governor’s comments successful caller interviews are a power from past year, erstwhile helium repeatedly said helium would not question to tally for the Senate successful 2026.

Four years ago, Sununu expressed involvement successful moving for the Senate against his predecessor arsenic governor, Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan, who was up for re-election successful 2022. The fashionable politician was heavy courted by nationalist Republicans to instrumentality connected Hassan, but connected Nov. 9, 2021, Sununu announced that helium would alternatively tally for a 4th word arsenic governor, upsetting galore Republicans successful the nation's capital. 

Additionally, helium heavy criticized the Senate. "They statement and speech and thing gets done," helium said astatine the time.

Sununu, who near bureau successful January with precise affirmative support and favorable ratings, is seen by nationalist Republicans arsenic the champion campaigner to triumph the seat. However, helium is not the lone Republican mulling a Senate bid successful New Hampshire.

Former Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who aboriginal narrowly mislaid to Shaheen successful New Hampshire successful the 2014 election, is earnestly considering a 2026 run.

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Former Sen. Scott Brown is interviewed by Fox News Digital connected Dec. 24, 2024 successful Rye, New Hampshire. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

Brown, who served 4 years arsenic U.S. ambassador to New Zealand during Trump’s archetypal administration, has been holding meetings with Republicans crossed New Hampshire for a mates of months and has met aggregate times with GOP officials successful the nation’s capital.

Earlier this year, Brown met with apical Trump medication governmental officials astatine the White House, sources told Fox News.

When asked astir the president's comments regarding Sununu, Brown told Fox News successful a connection that "President Trump is the person of the party, and helium has earned the close to endorse whoever helium supports. There is nary way to a Republican information moving against President Trump-backed candidates."

In the contention for the Democratic Senate information successful New Hampshire, four-term Rep. Chris Pappas formally launched his run past week. 

Using clips of a listening circuit helium made done each 10 of New Hampshire's counties past period arsenic helium ramped up toward moving for the Senate, Pappas said voters consciousness similar "the system's rigged."

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Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., announces his bid to win retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a chap Democrat, Thursday, April 3, 2025, successful Manchester, New Hampshire. ( AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

"You deliberation astir the Social Security bureau that's going to beryllium closed successful Littleton, drastic cuts to Medicaid, each successful the sanction of giving large taxation breaks to billionaires similar Elon Musk," helium argued, arsenic helium pointed to Trump's apical donor and the world's richest person, who is starring the administration's arguable downsizing of the national authorities workforce.

Pappas emphasized, "I bash get angry, due to the fact that erstwhile you're talking astir nationalist service, you should beryllium focused connected however you tin assistance people, however you tin marque people's lives better."

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Pappas whitethorn not person the Democratic Senate superior successful New Hampshire each to himself.

Sources adjacent to Rep. Maggie Goodlander, New Hampshire's different House member, said past period that the first-term typical is considering a Senate run.