Former President Trump has accused his GOP presidential primary opponent, Chris Christie, of costing Mitt Romney the chance to win the presidency in 2012 due to his collaboration with then-President Obama.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Christie, who was serving as the governor of New Jersey at the time, was "star struck" with Obama during their joint efforts to oversee the state's recovery from Hurricane Sandy. Trump argued that Christie's praise for Obama's leadership in the aftermath of the hurricane ensured that Romney "never had a chance of winning the presidency."
During the 2012 election, Christie endorsed Romney and served as a surrogate for his campaign. However, his compliments towards Obama's actions in leading the recovery drew criticism and raised questions about his loyalty to Romney.
Trump specifically criticized Christie's keynote address at the 2012 Republican National Convention, calling it "one of the worst Convention Speeches in History." Trump claimed that Christie barely mentioned Romney by name in the speech, focusing instead on policy issues and his vision for the country.
Christie, who was once a close ally of Trump and helped him prepare for debates against Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, has since become a vocal opponent of the former President. Their relationship deteriorated following Trump's efforts to overturn the election results and the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump has also repeatedly attacked Romney, who has been a prominent critic of the former President.
In his ongoing campaign for the GOP nomination, Christie has positioned himself as a chief opponent of Trump, willing to be more aggressive in attacking the former President than other candidates. Earlier this month, Trump blamed Christie for recommending Christopher Wray as the director of the FBI, alleging that Christie's recommendation led to Wray's appointment.
The rivalry between Trump and Christie highlights the divisions within the Republican Party, with Christie positioning himself as a more moderate alternative to Trump's conservative agenda. As the 2024 presidential race approaches, the clash between these two figures will likely continue to shape the GOP's direction and strategy.
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