Chris Christie Says Trump's Behaviour 'Encourages' Antisemitism And Intolerance
Chris Christie thinks former US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric set the stage for a rise in antisemitism and hate across the United States.
Christie blamed Trump’s “intolerant language and conduct” for stoking people’s prejudice during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.
“When you show intolerance toward everyone, which is what [Trump] does, you give permission as a leader for others to have their intolerance come out,” the former governor of New Jersey told CNN’s Dana Bash. “Intolerance toward anyone encourages intolerance toward everyone.”
Trump wasn’t the only person responsible for division in Christie’s mind, however.
He accused professors, presidents and deans of condoning antisemitism on college campuses, citing a rise in reports of violence and threats against Jewish students amid increasing tension over the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
“I think that there have been a lot of people who contributed to it,” Christie said. “I believe Donald Trump’s intolerant language and conduct gives others permission to act the same.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Christie criticised fellow Republican presidential primary candidates, Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, for not making a stronger case against candidate Trump, who is outpolling his primary opponents by double digits.
“If all three of us would go after Donald Trump, well then, the most credible amongst the three of us in terms of those critiques would wind up winning, winning this primary I believe,” Christie said. “And so we need to all be talking about the guy who’s in first place.”