Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 60, once a major ally of 76-year-old President Donald Trump, now calls the former president chicken for refusing, at least for now, to join GOP presidential debates. Christie polled poorly the last time her ran for president in 2016, staking his claim-to-fame in a 2016 presidential debate in South Carolina where he flummoxed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), pushing him to drop out. Christie, himself, dropped out of the race, polling under 5%, about the same as 51-year-old former South Carolina Nikki Haley. Christie has hinted at joining the 2024 GOP parade but hasn’t decided yet, all because of funding a campaign. Christie likes to sit from afar and take shots at Trump and other presidential candidates, although the final field hasn’t yet formed. Calling Trump “afraid” of debating, Christie recalls well Trump holding his own in 2016.
Trump was on stage all through the 2016 primaries, not only holding his own but outperforming other GOP candidates, including Christie. Once Christie dropped out after the 2016 South Carolina primary, he became as strong supporter of Trump, eventually helping Trump prepare for debating former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, once considered the most experience and prepared debate in the entire 2016 Democrat and Republican field. Christie had his falling out with Trump after Trump won the presidency Nov. 3, 2026. Invited by Trump to run his transition team, Christie was disappointed when he wasn’t picked for any cabinet position. Because of Christie serving as a former U.S. attorney and New Jersey governor, Trump tapped him to run his transition team, helping select candidates for cabinet positions. Trump passed Christie over for any cabinet position in 2016.
At the time Christie worked on Trump’s transition, he was embroiled in potentially criminal charges for his role in the Bridgegate Affair, where Christie, with key staff members, shut down lanes on the George Washington bridge, causing massive gridlock, to punish former Mayor Mark Sokolich for not supporting Christie’s 2012 reelection campaign. Christie carried the same baggage into the 2016 campaign, just more questions would be raised in 2024. Calling Trump “afraid” to debate shows the kind of tactics Christie likes to use, if anyone’s listening. Like other Trump enemies, Christie finds himself welcomed on liberal TV and radio talk shows for taking on Trump. Christie, like other anti-Trump Republicans like Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Ut.), enjoy ripping Trump on liberal TV and radio, desperate to find fellow Republicans to attack the former president.
Christie and other GOP candidates, as they eventually announce like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, are itching for Trump to show up because in increases ratings for otherwise boring debates. Trump’s presence would automatically command a bigger audience, something that less known candidates need. But for Trump, there’s no reason to debate unless he starts falling in the polls. Recent polls show Trump leading DeSantis, his closest rival, by 45%, factoring into Trump’s decision to skip debates. Fox News sponsors the first GOP debate in Milwaukee hosted by Bret Baier, one of Trump’s critics at Fox News. When it comes to debating, Christie needs all the publicity he can get to distinguish himself from his rivals. DeSantis is expected to create the biggest splash once he decides to enter the race. Unlike Trump, DeSantis is no showman, low key in comparison to Trump.
Christie tries to bait Trump in responding to recent attacks about him being afraid to debate. “I’m sorry to see that Donald Trump feels like if he gets on the state, he’s at risk of losing his lead. If, in fact, his ideas are so great, if his leadership is so outstanding, this lead would only increase if he get on the stage, no decrease. But obviously he’s afraid,” Christie said. Christie wants to make headlines but has no clue what it takes to run a successful campaign. Capable of taking shots from afar, Christie has no real appeal to the vast number of GOP primary voters, largely because he’s more liberal than most GOP primary voters. Christie doesn’t weigh heavily into the pro-life movement, not really concerned about abortion. When it comes to the Ukraine War, Christie offers nothing different than 30-year-old President Joe Biden, leaving only Trump to condemn the deadly and costly Ukraine War.
Trump won’t start debating his fellow GOP candidates unless the format suits his situation, not Christie or other possible candidates. Trump knows he commands the big audience in any GOP debates, not Christie or other less appealing GOP candidates. “He’s afraid to get on the stage against people who are serious. And I’m sorry to see that he’s that afraid of it,” Christie said. Christie knows that Trump is the GOP front-runner by a long shot, doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone. If DeSantis jumps in, Trump may want to show up, if nothing else, to contrast himself to GOP primary voters, knowing DeSantis looks boring by comparison. When it comes to Christie, doesn’t look good in front of cameras, showing off his rotund figure. “All he wants to do is go back and reprosecute the 2020 election because his feelings are hurt,” Christie said, taking another shot at the former president.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
