Chris Christie: Ramaswamy is practically Trump’s ‘wingman’

2024 GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie criticized fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for not going after former President Trump in his campaign, calling Ramaswamy “practically his wingman,” in a Wednesday interview.

“How do you run against someone and not talk about them? I look at what Vivek does here. He’s practically [Trump’s] wingman,” Christie said in an interview on Fox News.

“He says he’s the greatest president of the 21st century. Well, if he is, what the hell are you doing running? You should just drop out and endorse Donald Trump for reelection, which I think is essentially what he’s doing,” Christie added. “I think he’s auditioning for a cabinet position if Donald Trump were ever to become president again.”

Trump has dominated in essentially all national polls of the 2024 GOP presidential primary race in recent months.

The most recent Morning Consult poll numbers, updated Monday, show Trump with a 48-point lead over his closest opponent, with Trump at 61 percent, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 13 percent, Ramaswamy and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley both at 7 percent, former Vice President Mike Pence at 5 percent, and Christie at 3 percent. No other candidate was above 1 percent.

But candidates have been wary of criticizing Trump too harshly. Christie has been the most critical of Trump, while Ramaswamy has been the least critical of the primary front-runner, frequently calling him the greatest president in recent memory but saying he wants to lead the next generation.

The two had been slated to “spar” in interviews with Brett Baier on Fox News, but the Republican National Committee reportedly put a stop to the head-to-head debate planned. Both Christie and Ramaswamy were critical of the decision.

Christie repeated his frequent criticism of Trump in the interview, calling him a “four-time loser,” referring to the losses of the Senate and governorships in 2022, the special Senate election in 2021, the White House in 2020, and the House in 2018.

“I have no grievance against him personally. I have a grievance against what he’s done to our party. He’s been a four-time loser,” Christie said of Trump. “He is losing for our party, and it leads to these Biden policies.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.