Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt he would make a decision in the next two weeks whether to run for president in 2024, but he continues to take aim at his Republican Party’s presumptive frontrunner Donald Trump.
Christie accused the former president of being too “afraid” to debate fellow candidates in the GOP primary.
Trump suggested last week he might skip Republican debates because he’s unhappy with some of the sponsors and venues − and also because he has a “massive” lead and doesn’t need to debate.
“I’m leading by 40 points,” Trump told New-York based WABC in an interview last week. “People don’t debate when they have these massive leads.”
Christie, a former Trump supporter who helped him prepare for debates in the past, said on Hewitt’s show Trump should participate in the debates because they help voters decide who is best prepared to be president.
“I’m sorry to see that Donald Trump feels like if he gets on the stage, he’s at risk of losing his lead. If, in fact, his ideas are so great, if his leadership is so outstanding, then his lead will only increase if he gets on the stage, not decrease. But obviously, he’s afraid,” Christie said. “He’s afraid to get on the stage against people who are serious. And I’m sorry to see that he’s that afraid of it.”
Christie said he believes Trump is considering skipping debates because he doesn’t have real solutions or plans to solve America’s problems.
“All he wants to do is go back and reprosecute the 2020 election because his feelings are hurt,” he said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Christie says Donald Trump is ‘afraid’ to debate in GOP primary
