Chris Christie trolled after promising he will stay Republican and 'never stop fighting’ for the party

WASHINGTON, DC: In a recent interview on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, February 11, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie reiterated his commitment to the Republican Party despite his criticisms of its current direction under former President Donald Trump's influence.

When asked if he would leave the GOP, Christie firmly responded with a resounding me, "No, no, no." He declared, "I am ready to change the Republican Party. I will never stop fighting to change my party. I am a Republican."

Reservations about Trump and Biden

Christie, known for his outspoken nature and frequent clashes with Trump, maintained his stance of not supporting Trump as the GOP's potential presidential candidate in the upcoming November 5 election. "The one commitment I will make to you this morning is not voting for Donald Trump under any circumstances," Christie affirmed.

However, he remained less definitive about voting for President Biden, expressing reluctance but not ruling it out entirely. “I can’t see myself voting for President Biden,” he stated. “Do I rule it out? I can’t imagine doing it. My guess is Kristen if those are the only two choices. I’ll move to the Senate race in New Jersey.”

Moreover, Christie declined to rule out the possibility of running as a third-party candidate, hinting at potential alternatives beyond the established party lines.

Despite his reservations about Trump, Christie criticized Biden's performance, particularly questioning his ability to lead effectively. He referenced special counsel Robert Hur's assessment of Biden's memory lapses, suggesting that such deficiencies could present challenges for the Biden administration.

Democrats have criticized Hur's report, which concluded that Biden "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials," but opted not to pursue charges. Christie defended the inclusion of Biden's forgetfulness in the report, arguing that it was necessary to provide context for the decision not to prosecute.

“The fact is they had to give the reasons why they weren’t prosecuting when you start off the report by saying that he willfully and knowingly retained classified documents. Well, that’s a violation of the law,” Christie said.

“In one respect, I think the Biden White House would have been happier if he had been charged, than for that report to come out because of the reelection campaign,” Christie later added.

Reflecting on his past relationship with Trump, Christie acknowledged endorsing Trump in 2016 and expressed regret for supporting him. Despite initially expressing interest in serving as Trump's vice president or attorney general, Christie claimed that his aspirations were thwarted by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Now serving as one of Trump's prominent Republican critics, Christie highlighted the differences in Trump's approach between his first and potential second term, suggesting a shift towards surrounding himself with loyalists rather than advisors who acted as guardrails during his initial tenure.

“When he came into office in 2016, he was scared. He was afraid to be president … he knew he was not ready. So as a result, he listened to a lot of very good people around him,” Christie said. “In a second term, he would not.”

Social media backlash

However, the former New Jersey governor was trolled on social media after he vowed not to leave the Republican Party any time soon.

"You are fighting to defeat the GOP base’s preferred candidate. Because of your petty hatred of Trump," one posted on X.

"We don’t want you," another wrote.

"Of course, he will be for his party, because leaving the party could end badly on his reputation and business," someone else offered.

"He heard Lincoln Project has free buffets," another quipped.

Christie released his latest book last week, titled, 'What Would Reagan Do? Life Lessons from the Last Great President.' According to the New York Post, it reflects on the legacy of former President Ronald Reagan and the current state of the GOP.