Campaign

Christie says Haley ‘enabling’ Trump by saying he was right president ‘at the right time’

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie visits Keene State College, in Keene, N.H., as part of the college's American Democracy Project on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)

GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie took aim Sunday at former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley for saying former President Trump is fit to serve in office.

CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Christie on the “State of the Union” what his response was to comments made by Trump on Saturday, where he said immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country.” Christie said the comments were “disgusting,” adding that Republicans like Haley are part of the problem.

“And look, Jake, the other problem with this is the Republicans who are saying this is OK. Almost 100 members of Congress who have endorsed him, Nikki Haley, who this week said he is fit to be president,” Christie said.

“You’re telling me that someone who says that immigrants are poisoning the blood of this country, someone who says Vladimir Putin is a character witness, is fit to be president United States? Was the right person at the right time? Nikki Haley should be ashamed of herself,” he continued. “And she’s part of the problem because she’s enabling him. She’s enabling him by saying to people, it’s OK.”

Haley, who served during the Trump White House, told ABC News’ Linsey Davis last week that Trump is fit to be president, but that he should not be elected to the White House again.

“It’s not about fitness. I think he’s fit to be president. It’s ‘Should he be president?’ I don’t think he should be president. I thought he was the right president at the right time,” Haley said.

During the fourth GOP presidential debate, Christie was the only candidate to clearly state that Trump was not fit to serve as president. The three other candidates, including Haley, did not offer a clear answer on the question.