Former New Jersey Governor and current presidential candidate Chris Christie joined CNN’s Wolf Blitzer for an interview discussing Donald Trump’s attacks on Thursday, calling the former president a “coward” for hiding behind his screen and refusing to get on the debate stage.
“He said himself a few weeks ago, I only attack number two,” Christie said of Trump. “Well, he has stopped attacking Ron DeSantis and he’s started attacking me.”
“I told you that I was going to gain in this race,” Christie said. “We’ve seen it now with all the polling in New Hampshire.”
Recent polling has shown Christie gaining ground in the New Hampshire primary, moving past Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Since the polling, Trump has upped his attacks on Christie on his platform Truth Social.
“We are going to take on Donald Trump directly,” Christie told Blitzer. “He doesn’t like it when he’s taken on directly and he’s confronted.”
“I’m the only one on that stage who was unwilling to raise my hand, aside from Asa Hutchinson, and say I wouldn’t support a convicted felon for president of the United States,” Christie said in reference to the first Republican Primary debate hosted by Fox News in August.
Trump “doesn’t like when people stand up to him and call him out on the nonsense he’s involved in,” Christie said.
“I guess he had a bad night last night. Maybe he ate some bad Chinese food or something,” Christie quipped. “But tonight at 11:39, a little indigestion, he decided to attack me.”
“Keep it coming Donald,” Christie challenged.
“And by the way, if he had any guts, he’d get on the debate stage,” Christie continued. “He’s got things to say about me? Stop hiding behind your failed social media site, Donald, and start taking me on directly.”
“Show up. Stop being a coward,” Christie concluded.
Trump has yet to commit to participating in any of the Republican debates. During the first Fox News debate, he instead appeared for an interview with Tucker Carlson on X as counterprogramming.
Watch the full clip of Christie’s response above.
