Christie pushes back on Trump: Indictment was based on former president’s conduct 

Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie is pushing back on former President Trump’s claim that Trump is being indicted for the American people.  

“He’s a liar and a coward, he’s not getting indicted for anyone other than because of his own conduct. There’s no other of the 200 million Americans he spoke about who illegally retained classified national secrets,” Christie told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”  

The former New Jersey governor is referring to Trump’s speech at a Turning Point Action event Saturday night where the former president claimed, “Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxist communities and fascists indict me, I consider it to be a great badge of honor and courage, I’m doing it for you. I’m being indicted for you. Better me than you, right?”  

Christie entered the GOP presidential primary race in early June and has been vocal in his criticism of Trump.  

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“After being asked politely, quietly, and professionally for 18 months to voluntarily turn the, [classified documents], after he left the White House, there’s no other of those 200 million Americans who lied to their own lawyers about where those documents were, and … none of those other 200 million Americans who lied to the prosecutors about it and flashed around documents,” Christie said Sunday morning.  

Trump currently faces 37 federal criminal charges related to his handling of classified documents.

“Look, he’s indicted because of his outrageous conduct,” Christie told Tapper.  

Christie also criticized Trump for his push to hold the trial after the 2024 election.

“I don’t think he’s doing that for us either. He should resolve this thing before people vote, so that we know exactly who we’re voting for,” Christie said.