Former President Donald Trump caught wind of Chris Christie dropping out of the 2024 GOP presidential primaries and took the opportunity to mock the former New Jersey governor.
Trump took to his personal social media service, Truth Social, where he posted, "I hear Chris Christie is dropping out of the race today — I might even get to like him again!"
"Anyway, he was just caught on a hot mic making a very truthful statement: 'She's gonna get smoked … You and I both know it, she's not up to this,'" referring to surging GOP candidate Nikki Haley.
Shortly after Trump's remarks were posted, Christie officially ended his presidential campaign on Wednesday, January 10.
"It is clear to me tonight that there is not a path to win the nomination," Christie said at a town hall in Windham, New Hampshire.
He called the decision the "right thing for me to do" and promised he would never "enable" Trump to "ever be president of the United States again."
Christie’s decision comes on the heels of a new batch of disappointing poll numbers, especially in New Hampshire, where he hoped a less deep red electorate would coalesce around his opposition to the New York businessman turned GOP leader.
Christie has based nearly his entire campaign on attacking Trump. He was once a longtime ally and adviser to the former president, going as far as to endorse him in 2016.
In a recent campaign ad, Christie said, “Eight years ago when I decided to endorse Donald Trump for president, I did it because he was winning, and I did it because I thought I could make him a better candidate and a better president. Well, I was wrong, I made a mistake.”
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Christie took several thinly veiled shots at the other Republican presidential hopefuls, quipping, "Anyone who is unwilling to say Trump is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit themselves to be president of the United States."
Prior to taking the stage at the event, Christie was caught talking about his opponents on a hot mic in audio obtained by outlets. The audio captured only part of Christie’s comments before being cut off.
“You know, and she’s gonna get smoked, and you and I both know it. She’s not up to this,” Christie said in reference to Haley.
“[Ron] DeSantis called me, petrified that I would,” Christie says before the audio appeared to cut out.
CNN provided quotes and sources used in this article.
