Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie took a swipe at former President Donald Trump, criticizing his absence from the upcoming GOP 2024 presidential debates.
What Happened: Christie, during an interview with CNN, accused Trump of using his social media platform, Truth Social, as a shield while avoiding the GOP 2024 presidential debates.
Despite leading in the Republican primary polls, Trump has chosen to forgo the second debate, which is slated for next Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.
Christie, known for his previous clashes with Trump, urged him to participate in the debates instead of “hiding” and being a “coward.”
"Stop hiding behind your…failed social media site," Christie said.
"He doesn't like when people stand up to him and call him out on the nonsense that he's involved in."
This confrontation comes after Trump’s derogatory comment about Christie, calling him a “grifter” on Truth Social.
“If he had any guts, he’d get on the debate stage,” Christie stated, emphasizing Trump’s reluctance to face direct confrontation.
Why It Matters: Christie’s public call-out of Trump is not his first. The former governor is one of the few GOP candidates who openly opposes Trump and his indictments.
Earlier in September, he pledged to follow Trump around the country if the latter continued to dodge the debates. He also insinuated that Trump’s non-participation in the debates shows a lack of respect for Republican voters.
According to RealClearPolitics, Trump is leading in the New Hampshire poll with 45% support from GOP voters, whereas Christie stood second with 9.8% support. While Trump remains the top contender in the national polls, Christie was not even in the top four choices.
Photo by Christopher Halloran on Shutterstock
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