Did Donald Trump And Chris Christie Really Get Into A Fight Over Ivanka And Jared?
The longtime friendship between Donald Trump and Chris Christie is rapidly disintegrating, as the former New Jersey Governor mounts an exploratory presidential campaign that's quickly gaining traction.
Per Politico, Christie has been taking thinly veiled shots at his pal in various speeches, interviews, and even an upcoming book — though, crucially, the former governor never explicitly names Trump. Christie publicly called out the GOP for refusing to move on from losing the 2020 election, encouraging them to focus on the future instead.
"He's traveling the country, saying what he learned and saying he's not afraid of Donald Trump," said veteran Republican strategist Scott Reed. "That sets him out in a different lane from anyone else who might run for president in the party."
Christie shot back at Trump for claiming he was unpopular with constituents by reminding the mouthy celebrity of his recent loss to Joe Biden. In fact, Christie described his long-time ally as a "loser" for continuing to dwell on the 2020 election.
It's worth noting none of the other potential candidates had the strength to stand against Trump on this matter, particularly considering that plenty of Republicans are still obsessing over the election. Elsewhere, Christie obliquely criticized the considerable debt that accrued under Trump and his praise for China's dictator ruler.
Did it end there, or has Christie taken a shot at Trump's family, too?
Chris Christe pointed out Donald Trump's hypocrisy
White House correspondent Jonathan Karl's new book, "Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show," details a shocking argument between Donald Trump and Chris Christie, per Business Insider. While preparing for his first debate with Joe Biden, Trump and Christie held a mock debate, with Christie playing Biden.
Rudy Giuliani kept derailing things by referencing Hunter Biden. Christie argued that focusing on Hunter wasn't smart, given Trump's own dodgy history, and illustrated his point just as Biden might have.
"You have real nerve talking about relatives taking advantage of political power," Christie reportedly said. "You've invited your daughter and son-in-law into the White House and they made $36 million last year while they were doing the people's business. Your family traded the influence they have in the White House to make tens of millions of dollars."
Trump didn't take it well. "That's absolutely untrue! We've lost money here," he said. "My children are losing money being here. Jared has sacrificed more than anyone being away from his business. He hasn't made any kind of money."
Christie pressed further, leading Trump to get increasingly irate until, finally, he was fuming. "I'm not going to sit here and put up with this s**t," Trump said. The former New Jersey governor tried to explain his position calmly, but the then-president didn't want to hear it and demanded that they move on.
Giuliani was subsequently forbidden from attending such sessions. When the debates finally took place, Christie criticized Trump for coming in "too hot" and being "aggressive."