Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is attacking President Donald Trump over broken campaign promises, the war in Iran, rising prices and Ukraine, continuing a bitter rivalry between two Republicans who were once close friends and political allies.
NEW JERSEY — Former Gov. Chris Christie is taking another swing at President Donald Trump, accusing his former friend of abandoning major campaign promises as the two Republicans continue a political feud that has stretched from the 2016 presidential election into Trump’s second term in the White House.
Christie, who once endorsed Trump, helped prepare him for presidential debates and led his White House transition team, questioned the president’s credibility Friday evening in a social media post targeting his record on foreign policy and the economy.
“Donald Trump said no more forever wars. Where are we? He said he’d lower prices on day one. Where are we? He said he’d end the Ukraine war in 24 hours. Where are we?” Christie wrote on X.
“There is a reason he dropped those campaign promises. He never meant them in the first place.”
The criticism comes as Trump faces renewed questions about the ongoing conflict with Iran, consumer prices and his failure to secure the rapid end to Russia’s war in Ukraine that he promised during his 2024 campaign.
For Christie, the attack is the latest chapter in a relationship that has gone from a personal friendship lasting more than 20 years to one of the Republican Party’s most public political rivalries.
Christie and Trump were friends long before either ran for president
The relationship between Christie and Trump began around 2002, when Christie was serving as U.S. attorney for New Jersey.
The two were introduced through Trump’s older sister, federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, and developed a friendship that continued as Christie became governor in 2010.
Both were outspoken Northeastern Republicans with reputations for confrontation and blunt public comments.
Trump was still primarily known as a New York real estate developer and television personality when Christie emerged as a national political figure following his election as governor.
Their families socialized, and the two remained in contact as Christie’s political profile grew.
At the time, few would have predicted that Christie would eventually become one of Trump’s most persistent Republican critics.
Christie shocked Republicans by endorsing Trump in 2016
Their political alliance became national news in February 2016.
Christie had entered the Republican presidential primary hoping to win the nomination himself. After a disappointing finish in New Hampshire, he suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump on February 26.
The endorsement surprised many Republican officials because Christie had previously questioned Trump’s temperament and qualifications.
But standing alongside Trump in Fort Worth, Texas, Christie offered an enthusiastic endorsement.
“I’m proud to be here to endorse Donald Trump,” Christie said.
He described Trump as a strong leader capable of challenging Washington’s political establishment and defeating Hillary Clinton.
The endorsement made Christie one of the first prominent Republican governors to publicly back Trump’s presidential campaign.
Christie became a regular campaign surrogate, defending Trump during television appearances and helping consolidate Republican support.
Trump passed over Christie for vice president and removed him from transition leadership
Despite the alliance, their relationship soon encountered political complications.
Christie was considered for Trump’s vice presidential nomination in 2016, but Trump ultimately selected Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Christie nevertheless remained involved in the campaign and was appointed chairman of Trump’s presidential transition team.
Following Trump’s election victory in November, Christie was replaced by Pence as transition chairman.
Several members of Christie’s transition operation were also removed. The decision generated speculation about whether Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had influenced Christie’s removal.
As U.S. attorney, Christie had prosecuted Kushner’s father, Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to tax evasion, witness retaliation and other federal offenses.
Christie later argued that the history involving the Kushner family contributed to his removal from the transition operation.
Despite the controversy, he continued publicly supporting Trump.
Christie remained loyal during Trump’s first term
Christie left the New Jersey governor’s office in January 2018 but maintained his relationship with the president.
He occasionally advised the White House and remained a prominent defender of Trump during television appearances.
In 2020, Christie helped Trump prepare for his presidential debates against Joe Biden.
Christie subsequently contracted COVID-19 and spent several days in intensive care at Morristown Medical Center. He later said he believed he contracted the virus during White House debate preparation sessions, where participants had not consistently worn masks.
The illness became a significant personal experience for Christie, who publicly urged Americans to take the coronavirus seriously after his hospitalization.
Even after recovering, Christie remained politically aligned with Trump through much of the presidential campaign.
The 2020 election and January 6 changed their relationship
The break became increasingly apparent after Trump’s defeat in November 2020.
Christie publicly rejected Trump’s unsupported claims that widespread voter fraud had cost him the election.
The disagreement intensified following the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Christie said he attempted to contact Trump during the violence to urge him to intervene but could not reach him.
In a 2021 interview with Axios, Christie described unsuccessful attempts to contact the president through several channels.
The two former allies stopped speaking.
Christie increasingly criticized Trump’s conduct following the election, arguing that the president had placed his personal political interests ahead of the country’s democratic institutions.
Still, Christie initially stopped short of completely repudiating the former president, reflecting the complicated history between them.
Christie ran against Trump in 2024 and made attacking him his campaign’s central message
By 2023, Christie had abandoned any remaining political alliance with Trump.
He launched another campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, this time making direct criticism of Trump the central theme of his candidacy.
Christie accused Trump of dishonesty, poor judgment and refusing to accept responsibility for his actions.
He also criticized fellow Republican presidential candidates for avoiding direct confrontation with the former president.
Trump responded with repeated personal attacks against Christie, frequently mocking his appearance and dismissing his political prospects.
The two exchanged insults throughout the Republican primary campaign, although Trump declined to participate in the Republican debates where Christie had hoped to challenge him directly.
Christie ended his presidential campaign January 10, 2024, shortly before the Iowa caucuses.
He refused to endorse Trump and continued warning Republicans about returning him to the White House.
Trump’s second term gives Christie new ammunition
Christie’s latest criticism focuses on three of Trump’s most prominent campaign promises: avoiding prolonged foreign wars, reducing consumer prices and quickly ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump repeatedly promised during his 2024 campaign to pursue peace and avoid the prolonged military commitments he criticized during previous administrations.
The administration has defended its military actions against Iran as necessary to protect American national security and prevent the development of nuclear weapons.
The conflict has also contributed to economic uncertainty and higher energy costs.
Christie argues that Trump’s handling of the situation contradicts his earlier campaign rhetoric.
The former governor also pointed to Trump’s repeated promise that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.
The conflict remains unresolved, with Russia and Ukraine continuing military operations despite diplomatic efforts.
Trump has maintained that his administration is pursuing negotiations and has blamed obstacles involving the parties to the conflict for delaying a settlement.
Christie once praised Trump’s promises. Now he questions whether Trump ever intended to keep them.
One of the more striking aspects of the feud is how dramatically Christie’s public assessment of Trump has changed.
In March 2016, shortly after endorsing Trump, Christie defended his new political ally’s credibility.
“Donald Trump is someone who, when he makes a promise, he keeps it,” Christie said at the time.
More than a decade later, Christie is making the opposite argument.
His latest statement accuses Trump not simply of failing to fulfill his promises, but of never intending to keep them.
The criticism reflects the complete deterioration of a relationship that once helped propel Trump toward the Republican nomination.
Christie has not announced another campaign for public office, but he remains active in national political commentary and continues challenging Trump’s leadership.
For two men who once called each other friends, the disagreements have become a recurring feature of Republican politics.
And nearly 10 years after Christie stood beside Trump and endorsed his first presidential campaign, the former New Jersey governor is still publicly challenging the man he once helped elect.