Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, shared his concerns on Sunday, stating that President-elect Trump might be overestimating his political mandate by initially selecting Matt Gaetz, a former congressman from Florida, as his preferred candidate for attorney general.
During an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie, once a Trump ally and GOP presidential contender, criticized the choice of Gaetz, who later withdrew from consideration. He described the decision as a misstep and suggested Trump had misjudged his position, a point highlighted by Mediaite. Christie added that the withdrawal served as a clear rebuke.
Trump’s appointments face scrutiny as Gaetz steps down
The nomination of Gaetz stirred serious controversy, largely because of his prior involvement in a Department of Justice investigation into sex trafficking allegations, including claims related to an underage individual. While the DOJ declined to press charges, and Gaetz has consistently denied any misconduct, the controversy lingered.
Last week, the House Ethics Committee decided to keep its own investigation into Gaetz’s allegations confidential but signaled its intention to proceed. Following this, Gaetz announced online that he was withdrawing his nomination, citing it as a “distraction.”
His decision came swiftly after days of internal debate among Republican senators, marking one of the shortest nomination tenures in history. Gaetz had stepped down from Congress to accept the nomination for the DOJ role. Despite his withdrawal, Trump’s other appointments have also faced scrutiny, including Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense.
Christie offered a mixed assessment of Trump’s picks, voicing support for some. He endorsed Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, as a strong choice to lead the Interior Department, praising his qualifications. Similarly, he spoke favorably of Brooke Rollins, nominated for secretary of agriculture, calling her highly capable.
Regarding Scott Bessent, Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, Christie admitted he was unfamiliar with him but described him as a mainstream candidate with Wall Street credentials. As Trump continues forming his administration, Christie expressed concern over the intense reactions to the selections, warning that such responses could prove detrimental to the nation.
