Republican Presidential candidate Chris Christie announced his run for the White House on June 6, working to carve out a position as an anti-Trump establishment conservative. Christie’s strategy recently became crystal clear when he stated his frank disagreement with many Republicans about distrusting federal government agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Christie Disagrees That the DOJ Has Been ‘Weaponized’
Speaking Monday at a CNN town hall in New York City, Christie disagreed that the DOJ has been “weaponized” against conservatives or Trump. Christie also said he would not fire FBI Director Christopher Wray, who took over his role as FBI director in August of 2017. Trump and many of his base blame Wray for the investigations against Trump, including the Trump-Russia investigation.
Fellow GOP contender Ron DeSantis has vowed to dismiss Wray for the FBI’s role in persecuting Trump and is joined by others in the crowded GOP presidential field, all of whom are vying for the 2024 Republican nomination. By stating his refusal to fire Wray, Christie is making it clear that he wants to be in an establishment lane as a law-and-order conservative who stands against the populist impulses and promises of both Trump and DeSantis.
Christie: Trump Is a ‘Vengeful Child’
Christie told the town hall audience that Trump is a “loser” and a “vengeful child” who doesn’t deserve another term and is only consumed with his own ego and personal vengeance for his 2020 election loss.
“He has shown himself, particularly in his post-presidency to be completely self-centered, completely self-consumed, Christie claimed, adding that in his opinion Trump “doesn’t give a damn about the American people.”
Christie also says that Trump made a grievous mistake in allegedly mishandling classified documents. According to Christie, the evidence that Trump committed a crime in this instance is “pretty damning” and is part of a wider pattern of irresponsibility and poor leadership.
Where Do Other Republicans Stand?
At this time, in addition to Trump and DeSantis, fellow GOP candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Senator Tim Scott have both been strongly critical of Wray. For his part, Scott has also promised to fire Wray saying that agency leadership is “destroying” the integrity of the country.
The majority of leading GOP candidates apart from Christie have been strongly supportive of Trump and spoken out against his indictment and the DOJ and FBI, with the exception of additional Trump critic and 2024 contender Nikki Haley, who recently accused Trump of being potentially irresponsible and endangering America’s national security and military men and women.
“If this indictment is true, if what it says is actually the case, President Trump was incredibly reckless with our national security,” Haley said Monday.
Paul Brian is an author and freelance journalist who has reported for Reuters, BBC and Foreign Policy, and contributed to the Spectator, the Federalist and the American Conservative. He has covered global events from Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East to South America.
From 19FortyFive
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