Former president Donald Trump has expressed deep-seated mistrust for his erstwhile friend Chris Christie, stating that he had reservations about his advice and counsel.
"Christie made some suggestions that I found were not entirely beneficial," the 77-year-old shared during an interview on Salem News Channel with Sebastian Gorka, his former deputy assistant. "Chris and I had a good rapport, but that's about it."
"I didn't confide in Chris. I have always been wary of him. I never felt a strong sense of trust, so I kept my distance. He harbors a lot of resentment because I didn't include him in my administration, nor did I intend to. He carries that grudge," Trump revealed.
At present, Christie, 60, is a contender against Trump in the 2024 presidential race, but Trump doesn't see him having a winning chance.
"However, he's merely wasting his efforts. He's at a mere 1% and will likely not make any headway. Remember, when a governor departs office with a meager 9% approval rating, amidst the chaos of Bridgegate, you know there's a problem. His nearly permanent presence in New Hampshire in his last year was in itself scandalous. New Jersey's residents were left asking, 'Aren't you supposed to be governing New Jersey?'" Trump pointed out. "While I did heed Chris' advice at times, I found it largely unreliable."
As reported earlier by OK!, the animosity between the two has been escalating since Trump expressed his intent to reclaim the presidency.
Just the previous day, Christie had taken a jibe at Trump for his reluctance to participate in future debates.
"Oh, it's not fair, Brian. It's just not fair," Christie expressed to Brian Kilmeade on Fox & Friends, following up with a sarcastic, "poor Donald Trump."
He vented his frustration stating, "Here is a man aspiring to be the president of the United States, proclaiming himself as the strongest candidate to steer this country. Yet, he shies away from standing before Republican primary voters to defend his record and make a case for America's future."