Internet divided as Chris Christie ridicules Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis on hot mic as he ends campaign

WINDHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sparked new chaos online after being caught skewering his GOP rivals before announcing his decision to end his 2024 bid for the White House.

At a town hall in Windham on Wednesday, January 10, the 61-year-old former Republican candidate announced his decision, telling the audience that he had no pathway to victory.

But before making his startling statement, the former governor attacked his now-former GOP rivals in a few off-camera remarks delivered into a live microphone.

"She’s gonna get smoked and you and I both know it. She’s not up to this,” Christie could be heard saying, referring to former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

He also mentioned that DeSantis had contacted him. “DeSantis called me, petrified that I would…,” Christie said before the audio cut out, according to CNN.

"I agree with Christie that Nikki Haley is 'going to get smoked,'" DeSantis wrote in response to the audio tape in a post on X on Wednesday night.

Former President Donald Trump also addressed Christie’s hot mic incident, writing on Truth Social that “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.’”

Why did Chris Christie end his campaign?

During the event, the former GOP candidate announced the suspension of his own 2024 White House bid, telling the audience, "It’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign for president of the United States.”

He also delivered a scathing message for Trump, saying, “If we want to change this party, and if we want to change this country, it's hard work. It's not easy.”

"From the moment I got into the race, the decision that I made was really simple: I would rather lose by telling the truth than lie in order to win."

"I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump ever be president of the United States again. And that's more important than my own personal ambition,” he added.

Christie withdrew from the race following a series of disappointing polling results, most notably in New Hampshire, where he had thought that a less conservative electorate would support his fierce opposition to Trump, whom he referred to as "devoid of character."

Christie had begun his campaign in June, targeting Trump and positioning himself as the 77-year-old former president's substitute.

Internet reacts to Christie’s hot mic incident

Christie’s remarks on the hot mic has sparked a new chaos on social media, with one user saying, “Christie really spilled the tea on Haley and DeSantis. Too bad he couldn't spill some votes for himself.”

“Haley and DeSantis are both strong leaders who can stand up to Trump. Christie is just jealous that he has no chance,” the second user stated.

“To bad .. All that talk he had .. about staying in. He should have kept his word and stood his ground. Hard to have confidence in double talkers,” the third user fumed.

‘I LOVE that Desatan is petrified!!!! Delicious!!!!!”, the fourth asserted while the fifth one said, “All these fakes should be worried. RINO’s are done and they all know it. Where’s Liz Cheney?”

“NH is fairly blue. Sununu is like Haley. More blue. Haley is like jello. Goes with whomever she spoke to last,” one more wrote.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.