Who will Chris Christie endorse? GOP rivals respond to campaign suspension

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie did not endorse any of the remaining Republican candidates when he announced plans to end his bid for president on Wednesday.

The former federal prosecutor announced he would conclude his campaign at an event in New Hampshire, telling a group of less than 100 voters that he wants to continue being honest. He did not endorse any of his rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who he has long accused of failing to directly call out GOP frontrunner Donald Trump in fear of alienating his supporters.

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Minutes before the announcement, Christie was overheard on a hot mic saying Haley is "going to get smoked." He also seemingly took a dig the former South Carolina governor for failing to mention slavery as a cause of the Civil War last month.

"Benjamin Franklin's words were never more relevant in America than they are right now. The last time they were that relevant was the Civil War — which of course we know was caused by slavery," Christie said.

DeSantis responded to the comment about Haley in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he said, "I agree with Christie that Nikki Haley is 'going to get smoked.'"

Rivals respond to Christie ending campaign

Haley still commended Christie for a "hard-fought campaign" in a post on X, where she said Christie "has been a friend for many years."

"I hear Chris Christie is dropping out of the race today — I might even get to like him again!," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Meanwhile, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy told USA TODAY, "better late than never."

What did Chris Christie say in his speech?

During Wednesday's speech, Christie, who throughout his campaign never shied from bashing Trump, said there were people in the Republican Party with reservations about him being the Republican nominee, adding that they voiced their opposition in private.

He also called for the party to take responsibility in the nation being angry, divided and "leading our citizens to be exhausted."

"If we want to change this party, and if we want to change this country, it's hard work. It's not easy," Christie said. "From the moment I got into the race, the decision that I made was really simple: I would rather lose by telling the truth than lie in order to win.

Christie criticizes Barrasso, Emmer for Trump endorsements

Christie also called out Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., for endorsing Trump.

"And you just look at what’s happening in the last few days," Christie added. "Good people who got into politics I believe for the right reasons - people like Senator John Barrasso, people like congressman Tom Emmer - stand up and endorse Donald Trump. They know better. I know they know better."

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Throughout his bid for office, Christie has called Trump "self-centered," a "loser," and a "coward." He said that neither he nor President Joe Biden would be an acceptable choice for office.

"Well, Joe Biden has had the wrong policies, and Donald Trump would sell the soul of this country. Neither choice is acceptable to me, and it shouldn’t be acceptable to you," he said. "I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump ever be president the United States again. ... And that's more important than my own personal ambition."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will Chris Christie endorse as he ends presidential campaign?