(Headline USA) GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie claimed this week he made a “mistake” by endorsing former President Donald Trump back in 2016.
Christie made the confession in a new campaign ad in response to criticism that his current opposition to Trump’s campaign is hypocritical given Christie’s past support of him.
“When I decided to endorse Donald Trump for president, I did it because he was winning, and I did it because I thought I could make him a better candidate and a better president,” Christie said. “Well, I was wrong, I made a mistake.”
Christie acknowledged that Trump seems to be the clear winner in the GOP primary, but urged voters not to back the former president again as he did in 2016.
“Donald Trump is ahead in the polls and so everyone says, ‘Anyone who’s behind him should drop out, and we should make our choice: Donald Trump versus Joe Biden.’ Neither choice is acceptable to me,” he said
The ad is part of a seven-figure campaign blast in New Hampshire ahead of the state’s Jan. 23 primary.
Christie didn’t just endorse Trump in 2016; he also prepped him for both the 2016 and 2020 presidential debates and even reportedly vied for a Cabinet position.
The ad buy comes as calls for Christie to drop out ramp up even among establishment Republicans. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, for example, said this week that Christie’s bid is “at an absolute dead end.”
In response, Christie blasted Sununu for not caring enough about stopping Trump.
“I remember when Chris used to care about Donald Trump,” Christie said. “He’s the guy who came, I think to the Gridiron Club, and said that Trump belongs in a mental institution. And now he’s saying that he’d vote for him if he were the nominee.”
