Former Republican Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, who was once an ally of Donald Trump before becoming one of his fiercest opponents, announced his candidacy for the 2024 US presidential election on Tuesday. He positioned himself as the sole candidate capable of taking on the former president.

At 60 years old and known for his combative style, he filed his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) before publicly announcing it at a rally in New Hampshire. His decision comes as several political figures are also seeking to appeal to conservative voters, such as Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of Florida, and former Vice President Mike Pence.

Former NJ Governor Chris Christie Announces Candidacy for 2024 US Presidential Election

Despite currently polling at just 1% – while Donald Trump remains a clear frontrunner – Chris Christie did not hesitate to criticize the former president in front of his supporters, labeling him as “selfish” and “dishonest.” According to Christie, “The former Republican president always finds someone or something to blame when things go wrong, but always manages to take credit when things work out.”

Furthermore, this announcement marks a break from their previous relationship. During the Republican primaries leading up to the 2016 elections, where Christie unsuccessfully sought the nomination against the New York tycoon, he later supported Donald Trump’s campaign.

Former NJ Governor Chris Christie Announces Candidacy for 2024 US Presidential Election

However, Chris Christie decided to distance himself from the outgoing president after Trump refused to concede defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 elections and failed to call for calm among his supporters during the Capitol invasion.

Finally, in response to the billionaire’s ambiguous statements regarding the war in Ukraine and the investigations against him, Chris Christie referred to Donald Trump as a “puppet” manipulated by Vladimir Putin.