Chris Christie claims he is still an undecided voter, even after watching former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris debate on Tuesday night.
The 62-year-old former Governor of New Jersey appeared on Wednesday’s episode of The View, stunning the hosts and live studio audience alike when co-host Sunny Hostin asked if he will vote for Harris on November 5.
After several minutes of praising Harris’ debate performance and “zingers” that derailed Trump, Christie replied, “Oh, I’m still an undecided voter.”
“I understand you all want me to make some big announcement but what I will say to you is Donald Trump is not who I’m voting for,” Christie added to a collective groan from everyone in the studio.
AP Photo
The former US Attorney played a significant role in Trump’s transition team after the 2016 election. Christie was involved in overseeing the transition process and was initially considered a leading candidate for a cabinet position.
Despite his early support, Christie’s influence waned. In early 2017, he was sidelined from the administration’s inner circle, with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, reportedly playing a role in this decision. The reasons behind Christie’s removal are believed to involve political disagreements and concerns over Christie’s handling of the transition process.
After leaving office, Christie’s relationship with Trump remained complex. Christie continued to publicly support Trump’s policies and was seen as a loyal ally, although he occasionally made critical remarks. His critiques were sometimes interpreted as strategic or reflective of underlying tensions, especially as Trump faced legal and political challenges.
In the 2024 presidential primary, Christie emerged as a critic of Trump’s continued influence within the Republican Party. Christie’s campaign positioned him as a candidate who would challenge Trump’s dominance and offer an alternative vision for the party.
Christie continued his criticism of Trump on The View, claiming that if he was thrown off by Harris’ apparent preparation “he’s even stupider than some people think.”
He also said one of the most “disturbing” parts of the debate was Trump never looking at Harris, claiming it was not because he was uncomfortable debating a woman but because Trump doesn’t respect Harris.
“I can tell you that when I was preparing him in 2016, he had enormous respect for Hillary Clinton. He used to say all the time, ‘she’s really smart, she’s really tough. She’s really good,”‘ Christie recalled. “He doesn’t think this about Vice President Harris, wrongly, but he doesn’t say that and he displayed that last night.”
Christie suggested that “nothing great can happen for her in a second debate” if Harris were to face Trump again, but did have come advice if she does.
“She could do some things to help herself. Like, look, the American people are forgiving people and they’re understanding people,” he said. “So there were some mistakes made in the Biden administration. She should admit to them and say she’s going to do better.”
Usher Says ‘Yeah’ To Harris
Eight-time Grammy-winning R&B singer Usher, 45, also appeared on Wednesday’s episode of The View, confirming that he’s endorsing Harris, but wasn’t able to watch the debate because he had a concert Tuesday night.
“I don’t get too deep into politics,” the Super Bowl Halftime performer explained, “… But I obviously have been watching like everybody else. I think voting is an individual choice. You have to look at the reality of the country we are and the country that we want to be, and find the candidate that you feel fits the country we want to be.”
“That’s it and that’s what you vote based off of. Who you highlight and how you choose to highlight it on whatever platform you have is your prerogative,'” Usher added.
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