What Chris Christie has said about his presidential competitors Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis

Chris Christie is going against the likes of leading GOP presidential nominees Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican run. The former New Jersey governor's views on both opponents has been a mixed bag, from devoted support to deprecating scrutiny. His relationship with Trump is an especially tumultuous affair.

Christie's connection with his opponents began in 2016, when he became one of the first high-profile Republican politicians to validate the unanticipated Trump candidacy. However, this did not mean he endorsed Trump. In fact, Christie repeatedly mocked, criticized and denounced Trump, including calling him a "13-year-old" after the Republican nominee boycotted a Fox News debate.

"Showtime is over. We are not electing an entertainer-in-chief. Showmanship is fun, but it is not the kind of leadership that will truly change America," Christie said about Trump in 2016 at a New Hampshire rally.

Chris Christie and Donald Trump

Christie would go on to label Trump inexperienced, unqualified and a whiner. Inexplicably, his tune changed after he pulled out of the 2016 run for the presidency. With Trump still an outsider in the presidential run, Christie became one of the earliest major GOP figures to endorse the candidate, and his backing lasted for years.

"I will lend my support between now and November in any way for Donald," Christie told reporters at a Texas press conference before the Houston debate.

Republican rivals such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio did not catch the former governor's eye, but Trump's unpredictable plays are what led to Christie's support.

Democrats "do not know the playbook with Donald Trump, because he is rewriting the playbook," Christie said in his endorsement. "He is rewriting the playbook of American politics because he is providing strong leadership that is not dependent upon the status quo."

Displeasing comments about Trump's behavior started on election night in 2020 when the nominee declared a premature victory. Christie said, "There's just no basis" to make such announcements. Christie would continue to back the former president after he lost the election, but tension started to form in the months to come.

Many GOP leaders slowly backed away from the Trump train as allegations of election fraud bubbled from his campaign. The Jan 6. riot was the final straw for Christie, who was among the few Republicans to address what happened at the Capitol.

"January 6 was a riot that was incited by Donald Trump in an effort to intimidate Mike Pence and Congress into doing exactly what he said in his own words last week: overturn the election. He wanted the election to be overturned," Christie told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

Christie's opinion of Trump now remains in steadfast opposition, from the politician's character to his leadership abilities. He now uses anti-Trump rhetoric to set himself apart from other nominees who have yet to go after the leading man. The commentary goes as far as comparing Trump to Harry Potter series supervillain Lord Voldemort.

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Chris Christie on Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has also received hard hits from Christie, who denounces the Floridian's conflict with Walt Disney World. For the past year, the two sides have battled about a "Don't Say Gay" law that DeSantis signed and Disney publicly opposes. Tension further mounted when the governor tried to revoke the company's special tax status and limited self-governing powers. Christie accused DeSantis of not being a true conservative.

Reflecting the sentiment of other GOP members, Christie said he would not expect to see these actions from a Republican governor, arguing "that’s what ... liberals did." Christie also questioned the nominee's ability to delegate.

"That’s not the guy I want sitting across from President Xi [Jinping] and negotiating our next agreement with China," Christie said. "Or sitting across from Putin and trying to resolve what’s happening in Ukraine."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Chris Christie past comments on Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis