Chris Christie sharply criticized President Trump on ABC's This Week, saying that Iran's demands over the Strait of Hormuz risk making Trump look like former president Jimmy Carter. Christie called the policy 'an adventure without a plan' and argued Iran is effectively holding the world economy 'hostage' by targeting the strait. Once a Trump endorser, Christie has become a prominent critic and said Trump's charisma no longer shields him from political consequences.
Christie: Iran Has 'Held Trump Hostage,' Warns He’s Becoming Like Jimmy Carter
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Chris Christie, the former Republican governor of New Jersey and a one-time Trump ally, delivered a sharp critique of President Donald Trump on ABC's This Week, warning that recent Iranian demands over the Strait of Hormuz have cast the president in an unexpectedly weakened light.
On the program's Powerhouse Roundtable, Christie accused the administration of 'an adventure without a plan' and said Iran's public list of demands — including reparations to reopen the strait — risks portraying Trump in the way he least wants: as a Jimmy Carter–style figure.
'Look, the real problem here is it was an adventure without a plan. And now, you know, I was struck this week when the Iranians put out their list of demands to reopen the strait — reparations, etc. What struck me was that Donald Trump is about to become what he never, ever wanted to be: Jimmy Carter,' Christie said.
Christie argued that Iran's actions around the Strait of Hormuz are effectively putting the president — and by extension the global economy — in a hostage-like position. 'They are holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage. As a result, they're holding the world economy hostage. And it's focused at Donald Trump,' he said, noting that from two decades of conversations he knows Trump would never want that comparison.
Once a key endorser of Trump in 2016 who helped lead his transition team, Christie has evolved into one of the president's most vocal critics, often delivering barbs he knows will land personally. In a related late-July appearance, Christie added that Trump 'can no longer distract from bad decisions with his charisma' and suggested the public is tiring of the performance.
Video clips of Christie's remarks aired on ABC's This Week. The original report first appeared on Mediaite.
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