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Trump slams Dem candidate Mikie Sherrill as ‘fake and corrupt’ amid New Jersey governor race

Trump also brought up an incident from 30 years back when Mikie Sherrill was not allowed to participate in her graduation ceremony

BY SAURAV SURESH

PUBLISHED OCT 25, 2025

Trump rips New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill as ‘fake and corrupt’ (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump, on Friday, October 24, took aim at New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill, urging the voters to back Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli in next month’s gubernatorial election.

Trump labelled Sherrill a “fake and corrupt radical left Democrat” during a telerally and warned that her election would push the state into a “death spiral.”

Trump takes a jab at New Jersey Democrat Mikie Sherrill

U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from a reporter in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, one of the largest manufacturers of semiconductor chips, plans to invest $100 billion in new manufacturing facilities in the United States. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) — President Donald Trump takes a question from a reporter in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, one of the largest manufacturers of semiconductor chips, plans to invest $100 billion in new manufacturing facilities in the United States (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Trump spent much of the call talking about the state’s high energy bill, a key issue in the tight race. Sherrill, a four-term congressmember, has promised to declare a state of emergency and freeze energy costs.

“Mikie, as they call her — the only thing she’s got is an unusual name, other than that she’s terrible,” Trump said. He later added, “Mikie Sherrill looks [like] such an innocent name, but her energy policies would send your prices soaring and make New Jersey even more expensive than it already is.”

Trump also brought up an incident from 30 years back when Sherrill was not allowed to participate in her graduation ceremony.

According to her, it was because she didn’t tell on her classmates in a massive cheating scandal, and she went on to serve as a Navy helicopter pilot.

He said she “had lots of problems in school, lots of problems with honesty for a long time.”

Mikie Sherrill hits back at Trump

Sherrill said after the call that the event made clear that Ciattarelli would be the “Trump of Trenton”. (repsherrill/Instagram) — Mikie Sherrill said opponent Jack Ciattarelli would be the 'Trump of Trenton' (repsherrill/Instagram)

Sherrill said after the call that the event made clear that Ciattarelli would be the “Trump of Trenton” if he wins on November 4. She also criticized Ciattarelli for how he’s responded to Trump, saying he’ll withhold funding for the Gateway project to build new rail tunnels connecting New Jersey and New York.

“It’s no surprise Jack is campaigning with Trump in this final stretch, given he is running to be his lackey in New Jersey.

Jack has cheered Trump on as he rips away healthcare from hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans and drives up costs while pocketing billions with his tariff regime,” Sherrill said in a statement.

“When Jack got Trump on the phone tonight, he couldn’t even bring himself to say a word about New Jersey commuters and Trump’s attack on the Gateway Tunnel Project. It’s pathetic,” she added.

Trump endorses Jack Ciattarelli ahead of New Jersey Governor race

Jack Ciattarelli used to be a critic of Trump but has since allied with him. (@Jack4NJ/X) — Jack Ciattarelli used to be a critic of Trump but has since allied with him (@Jack4NJ/X)

During the telerally hours before he was set to depart for a potentially consequential trip to Asia, Trump pushed for the Republican nominee, Jack Ciattarelli. He also said that after the trip, he will “be out campaigning for Jack,” but did not elaborate on that.

Trump’s favorability is underwater in New Jersey, and Ciattarelli recently hosted a rally that featured MAGA stars but not Trump himself. Many people here think that if Trump campaigns too much, it could do more damage to Ciattarelli than good if he hits the trail.

This is the third time Ciattarelli is running for governor. In 2021, he came within three points of defeating incumbent Democrat Phil Murphy, who is now term-limited.

Ciattarelli, a former state assemblymember, used to be a critic of Trump but has since allied with him, even giving him an “A” grade during a recent debate.

During the call, Ciattarelli praised Trump’s policies at the southern border, killing offshore wind projects at the Jersey Shore, and signing the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, which, according to him, saves average residents about $5,000 a year.