Former President Trump And Ex-Gov. Christie Trade Jabs In Presidential Campaign

Former New Jersey Governor and presidential candidate, Chris Christie (R-NJ) visits The Story with Martha MacCallum at Fox News Studios on June 20, 2023 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump and former New Jersey GOP Gov., Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie seem to be at a fresh loggerhead.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd at a campaign event on July 1, 2023, in Pickens, South Carolina. The former president faces a growing list of Republican primary challengers. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

On Friday, Christie joked that he’s “living rent-free” in Trump’s head after the former president shared a photo on Truth Social of his 2024 presidential primary opponent sleeping on a plane.

“Resting after a good 25 minutes of work!” Trump quipped.

In response to Trump’s post, Christie countered by sharing Trump’s post on Twitter, while encouraging donations to his campaign.

“Living rent-free in Donald’s head. Make me a permanent resident,” said Christie on Twitter.

Ever since announcing his candidacy for the 2024 Republican nomination earlier this month, Christie, who was once an ally of Trump and even ran against him in 2016, has been criticizing the former president.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, after he signed the presidential memorandum addressing the opioid crisis, in the East Room of the White House, on Thursday, October 26th, 2017. Christie is once again running for president for the GOP nomination against Trump in the battle for the White House against President Joe Biden. (Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images) 

Earlier on Friday, in an interview with the Financial Times, Christie said Trump “admires strongmen” and wishes he could be “Putin in America.”

“I think we see a pretty consistent pattern of him wishing he was a dictator, wishing he could be Putin in America. That’s what’s dark to me about it. That’s what he really wants. He wants to be a dictator,” Christie said.

Last week, amid reports of Trump redirecting donations from his 2024 presidential campaign to a political action committee used to cover his legal expenses, Christie openly criticized the former president. This move has surprised and unsettled donors who had intended to contribute to Trump’s campaign.

Christie called the ex-president “the cheapest S.O.B. I’ve ever met in my life.”

“What Donald Trump is good at is spending other people’s money,” Christie said.

The former New Jersey governor was once the head of the Trump transition team in 2016 as he was dropped and replace by former Vice President Mike Pence.

The shake up came as two of Christie’s former aides were convicted in the Bridgegate scandal. Christie denied any knowledge of the allegation.

Trump is currently facing criminal charges in New York, Washington, and Atlanta related to the hush money payments, mishandling of classified documents, January 6, and the Georgia election interference.

Trump and Tiger King star Joe Exotic are the only candidates facing legal baggage.

Produced in association with Benzinga

Edited by Alberto Arellano and Joseph Hammond