Former GOP New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie encouraged the Republican Party on Saturday to move on from former President Donald Trump as attention now turns to the 2024 presidential election.
Christie’s comments come just days after Trump announced he would make another run for the White House.
Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership meeting on Saturday, Christie said “It is time to stop whispering.”
“It is time to stop being afraid of any one person,” he said. “It is time to stand up for the principles and the beliefs that we have founded this party on and this country on.”
Christie and Trump faced off in the 2016 Republican primary before Christie dropped out and endorsed the now-former president. Christie highlighted on Saturday that he was the first Republican candidate to drop out of the race and endorse Trump in February 2016.
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“I was there early, I was there faithfully, and I was there all the way — until election night 2020,” he said.
The ex-governor has since been a vocal critic of Trump and placed the blame for Republicans’ disappointing midterm elections on the shoulders of the 45th president.
“We keep losing and losing and losing,” Christie said on Saturday. “And the fact of the matter is the reason we’re losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everyone else.”
Christie has previously indicated that he is considering another presidential run.