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2024 GOP hopeful Chris Christie blames Donald Trump for rising antisemitism and Islamophobia in the US
Chris Christie claims Donald Trump's intolerant rhetoric gives permission for hatred to be expressed
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie has accused his former friend and president Donald Trump of contributing to the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia in the country. Christie said that Trump's intolerant rhetoric has given the green light to others to express their hatred.
Christie, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, remarked on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. He said that Trump's intolerance was not an isolated phenomenon, but part of a broader trend of bigotry in some of the nation's elite institutions.
"He shows intolerance towards everyone, which is what he does, and when you do that as a leader, you give permission for others to have their intolerance come out," Christie said.
"And that's been going on for quite some time, not just with Donald Trump, but with university professors on some of our most elite campuses in this country."
Trump, 77, has often touted his support for Israel and his son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka are Jewish. However, his presidency coincided with a surge of antisemitic incidents across the US, especially on college campuses.
In the wake of the recent war in Israel, triggered by a surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, there have been several reports of antisemitic attacks and harassment of Jewish students. During pro-Palestinian protests at Cooper Union, Jewish students reported seeking refuge in the library. At George Washington University, a slogan calling for the elimination of Israel was projected on a campus building.
At the same time, there have also been cases of Islamophobic violence and discrimination. In Chicago, a 6-year-old Palestinian boy was allegedly killed by a landlord in a hate crime last month.
Christie, 61, has positioned himself as the only candidate who can challenge Trump and his loyalists in the 2024 GOP race. He claimed, “You really now in my view have four major contenders for the nomination: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, me and Nikki Haley.”
The former New Jersey Gov. did not mention entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has been polling higher than him nationally. Christie has focused his campaign on New Hampshire, where he is currently in third place behind Trump and Haley.
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Christie said he was confident about his chances, citing the example of the late Sen. John McCain, who was in third place in New Hampshire in 2008 and went on to win the state and the nomination.
Christie, who has qualified for the fourth GOP debate on Dec. 6 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., vowed to stay in the race until the end.
"I will be in this race through to the convention," he said.
