Trump: Gowdy’s Benghazi hearings a ‘total disaster’

Donald Trump says Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who is expected to endorse Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for president this week, was a “total disaster” as chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi.

“I hope [Gowdy] does a better job than he did, frankly, at the Benghazi hearings, because they were a total disaster,” Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, said Sunday morning on “Fox and Friends,” according to the Washington Examiner.

Gowdy presided over the testimony of Hillary Clinton, who was secretary of State at the time of the 2012 terrorist attacks on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya.

The hearing was widely regarded as a victory for Clinton, a Democratic presidential hopeful.

“[Gowdy] did not win those hearings,” Trump said. “It was not good for Republicans and for the country.”

“I hope he does a lot better for Marco than he did with the Benghazi hearings,” he added.

The Republican primary front-runner also retweeted several followers on Sunday who criticized Gowdy for how he handled Clinton’s testimony.

“My prediction on the Trey Gowdy endorsement of Rubio is that it will do nothing for Rubio and finish Gowdy,” said one follower whom Trump retweeted.

The Rubio campaign announced on Saturday that Gowdy will attend several town halls with Rubio in Iowa on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The three-term South Carolina lawmaker is expected to endorse Rubio at some point during the tour.