Chris Christie slams ‘coward’ Trump as ‘puppet of Putin’ after CNN town hall dodge on Ukraine

Chris Christie isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

The former New Jersey governor Thursday derided the former president after Trump refused to back Ukraine in its fight to repel the Russian invasion.

“I think he’s a coward and I think he’s a puppet of Putin,” Christie told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “There’s no other conclusion to come to.”

Christie, a sometime critic of Trump, has ramped up barbs as he considers launching a Republican presidential bid in coming weeks.

He’s been particularly tough on Trump’s refusal to back Ukraine and harsh criticism of U.S. aid to Kyiv.

The failed 2016 candidate, who is drawing virtually no support in GOP polls, called Trump’s dodging questions about the Russian invasion as “the most stunning moment” of Trump’s New Hampshire town hall on CNN.

“If you don’t say that you think Ukraine should win the war, I don’t know where you stand with Putin,” Christie said.

Trump used the town hall to repeat his refusal to back Ukraine, a stance that is popular with his MAGA base.

He railed against U.S. aid to Kyiv and repeated his claim that he could end the war within 24 days, a preposterous suggestion that even his supporters admit is mere hyperbole.

Trump deplored the deaths of thousands of people on both sides of the war but failed to note that the vast majority of civilian deaths are Ukrainians killed on their own soil by indiscriminate Russian attacks.

He also refused to brand Putin a “war criminal” even though the International Criminal Court has charged him with war crimes.

Trump did say Putin made a big mistake by invading Ukraine last year. That amounts to a flip-flop from his effusive praise of the Russian strongman as a “genius” in the days after he launched what some thought would be a lightning success.

Most of the Republican presidential field has gone out of their way to avoid openly criticizing Trump, even on Ukraine.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who scores the highest in polls, hasn’t yet announced his candidacy. He has already stumbled on Ukraine by flip-flopping on whether the U.S. should keep arming Ukraine as it fights for its life as an independent democratic nation.

Dark horse candidate Asa Hutchinson is the only candidate who joined Christie in denouncing Trump on Ukraine.

“It’s a terrible mistake, a terrible position, not supporting Ukraine,” Hutchinson said.