Chris Christie Receives Lukewarm Reception at Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference After Criticizing Donald Trump

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) received a lukewarm reception at the annual Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington on Friday, after he criticized former President Donald Trump, one of his rivals in the 2024 presidential race.

Christie, who is running for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination, used his address at the conference to make the case for his White House bid, touting his record as New Jersey’s governor and assailing the former president’s record.

“I’m running because he’s let us down,” Christie told a crowd of several hundred social conservatives gathered at the conference. “You can boo all you want, but here’s the thing: Our faith teaches us that people have to take responsibility for what they do,” Christie said in response, drawing a mix of boos and applause.

Christie went on to criticize Trump for not taking responsibility for his past mistakes, describing him as a failed leader unfit to serve another term in the White House. “He’s unwilling to take responsibility for any of the mistakes that were made, any of the faults that he has, and any of the things that he’s done,” Christie said.

Christie has been a vocal critic of Trump since the former president left office in January. He has been a vocal advocate for the Republican party to move away from Trump’s brand of politics and embrace a more traditional conservative agenda. It remains to be seen if his message will resonate with the GOP base.