Christie: Republicans who support Trump for Speaker want to ‘kiss his rear end in public’

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), a 2024 presidential candidate, on Sunday criticized Republicans who publicly endorsed former President Trump to be the next Speaker of the House — a position for which Trump arguably would not be eligible. 

“This is them doing what they know Donald Trump likes, which is kiss his rear end in public,” Christie said in an interview on ABC News’s “This Week.”

“And if you do that, then he says nice things about you, even if what you’re saying is not — is demonstrably untrue,” Christie continued. “So, that’s part of the problem with all this.”

Following Tuesday evening’s historic vote to remove the Speaker for the first time in American history, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) announced that he intended to formally endorse Trump to take the reins as Speaker. Others, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), also supported the effort.

“The only candidate for Speaker I am currently supporting is President Donald J. Trump,” Greene wrote last week on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. “He has a proven 4 year record as President of the United States of America.”

While the Speaker of the House does not need to be a member of the legislative body, House Republicans have their own conference rules that prohibit anyone indicted for a felony that could result in a two-year prison sentence, at minimum, from serving in a leadership position. 

Trump ultimately announced his endorsement for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for the position. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) longtime No. 2, is also vying for the position. 

The conference will hold a candidate forum Tuesday to determine which candidate to support ahead of a House vote, which is expected the next day. 

Christie would not say in the interview whom he would support, between Jordan and Scalise, but said he has known Scalise a long time and trusts that he’s a responsible lawmaker.

“I don’t have a favorite,” Christie said when asked about his preference between the candidates for Speaker.

“I don’t know Jim Jordan well at all, so I can’t really speak to him except for what I see publicly. I know Steve Scalise and I like Steve Scalise, and I respect him,” Christie said. “But I’m not going to weigh into a Speaker fight and endorse somebody, but my point is, I know Steve. I think Steve’s a responsible, good guy.”