Donald Trump called one-time ally Chris Christie “sloppy” after the former New Jersey governor predicted the ex-president wouldn’t win in 2024 and needled him for losing his re-election bid in 2020 — saying “that loss to Joe still stings.”
The war of words erupted Sunday after Christie posted on Twitter that Trump, 76, was the only candidate to “lose to Biden outside of Delaware.”
The 45th president shot back that Christie’s 2016 campaign “went down in flames.”
Trump who announced his third straight White House run Nov. 15, took to his Truth Social platform to lambast Christie after his appearance on ABC News’ “This Week.”
“‘Sloppy’ Chris Christie, the failed former Governor of New Jersey, spent almost his entire last year in office campaigning in New Hampshire for the Republican Nomination for President. Much like his term in office, where he left with an Approval Rating of just 9%, his Presidential campaign was a complete disaster,” Trump said.
“He endorsed me the following day, later recommended Chris Wray for the FBI (how did that work out?), went down in flames, and then was SALVAGED by ABC FAKE NEWS. I never wanted him!” he added.
That led to Christie’s response on Twitter.
“I’m the target of Donald Trump’s new tantrum. None of his lies about me today bothered him when he asked me to prep him for every general election debate or offered me 3 different cabinet posts,” the former governor said.
“He’s the only man to lose to Biden outside Delaware. That loss to Joe still stings,” Christie reiterated.
Christie, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the 2016 Republican presidential primary, apparently ruffled the 45th president’s feathers when he responded to a question from moderator Jonathan Karl about whether the former president can beat Biden in 2024.
“I don’t think so,” Christie said bluntly.
Christie, a contributor to ABC News, also doubted the 80-year-old Biden’s odds for victory in 2024, noting that the president didn’t win the election in 2020, but that Trump “lost.”
“Politicians, when they run for office, you don’t always win. Sometimes the other guy loses. Joe Biden’s president because Donald Trump lost. Joe Biden didn’t win. And Joe Biden’s never taken possession of that fact. And so he continues to do what he did when he was running, which he thinks was great because I won. No, you didn’t win. Trump lost,” Christie said.
He went on to point out Biden’s age, his poor poll numbers, and doubted whether the octogenarian could withstand the rigors of a re-election campaign.
“He is not capable of running a traditional American race,” Christie said. “And what he had in ’20 was a gift. He had Donald Trump, who was toxic.”