Donald Trump took aim at former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, his one-time ally now major foe and Republican rival for the 2024 nomination, following the party’s second primary debate on Wednesday night.
Mr Christie had hit out at Mr Trump for skipping the debate – avoiding answering questions on his record as president.
“I want to look in that camera now and tell you, Donald, I know you’re watching, you can’t help yourself,” the former governor said.
“You’re not here tonight, not because of polls and not because of your indictments. You’re not here tonight because you’re afraid of being on this stage and defending your record. You’re ducking these things.”
“Let me tell you what’s going to happen,” he continued. “You keep doing that, and no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re gonna call you Donald Duck.”
While the line was cringeworthy and came across as over-prepared, the former president did not take kindly to the criticism and felt the need to attack his rival in response.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social to retaliate, he wrote: “Chris Christie is talking about the job he did as Governor. He had a 9% approval rating. N.J. wanted to throw the ‘bum’ out.
“Also, I built almost 500 miles of Wall (not 50, Sloppy Chris!), got Mexico to give us 28,000 soldiers (free of charge!), and had the safest and best Border in US History, with record low drugs coming in!”
Mr Trump accompanied the post with a photo of Mr Christie hugging President Barack Obama in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, shortly before the presidential election that handed the incumbent another four years in the White House.
Chris Christie on the debate stage— (Getty Images)
Having frequently attacked the former governor’s weight before, he also posted a doctored video of Mr Christie’s campaign launch – with a buffet superimposed in front of the former New Jersey governor and a large plate of food in his hand.
Mr Trump also took aim at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the aftermath of the debate, posting several videos attacking the only candidate that has so far been able to come close to challenging his position at the top of the polls.
During his counter-programming to the Republican debate in California, Mr Trump — appearing at an automotive plant in Michigan — said that he would not pick any of the candidates running against him for the nomination.
“We are competing with the job candidates, they are all running for a job. They are all job candidates. They will do anything, secretary of something, they even say VP. Has anyone seen a VP in that group? I don’t think so,” the former president told the crowd.
Though Mr Trump didn’t attend the debate and doesn’t appear inclined to attend any future sessions, his campaign appeared to be actively monitoring the proceedings.
In a statement, Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita said the programme was “as boring and inconsequential as the first debate” with “nothing ... said [that] will change the dynamics of the primary contest being dominated by President Trump”.
He continued: “The RNC should immediately put an end to any further primary debates so we can train our fire on Crooked Joe Biden and quit wasting time and money that could be going to evicting Biden from the White House.”
