Chris Christie drops out of Republican race as Trump rivals go head-to-head
Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie has dropped out of the Republican candidacy race but vowed to never let Donald Trump become US president again.
The former New Jersey governor suspended his campaign after claiming there wasn’t a path for him to win the nomination.
His exit also means the removal of the most high-profile and consistent critic of former president Trump.
“My goal has never been to be just a voice against the hate and division and the selfishness of what our party has become under Donald Trump,” Mr Christie told supporters in New Hampshire.
“I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again. And that’s more important than my own personal ambition.”
His withdrawal came as a surprise as Mr Christie had insisted on Tuesday night that he had no plans to leave the race, continuing to cast himself as the only candidate willing to directly take on the former president, who he used to support and backed throughout his presidency.
Mr Christie also did not immediately endorse either of his main rivals – Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis.
He has criticised both throughout the campaign for failing to directly target Trump for fear of alienating the front-runner’s loyal supporters.
Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley fiercely attacked each other’s campaigns. Pic: AP
It comes as Haley and DeSantis went head-to-head during a primary debate in Iowa on Wednesday.
The pair accused each other of lying and insulted the each other’s records during the opening minutes.
Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy also remain in the running, but did not meet the qualification requirements for the debate.
Ms Haley, a former UN ambassador, directed viewers to a website her campaign created chronicling what she said were Mr DeSantis’ lies.
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The Florida governor in turn tried to send people to his website, where he said he collected “all the greatest hits” of Ms Haley’s false statements.
Both candidates sought a strong debate performance before Monday’s caucuses, where Republican Party members will pledge to vote for a given candidate at the party’s national convention.
A good level of support for either member could provide much-needed momentum as they try to become the primary alternative to Trump, who was absent from the debate.
Donald Trump was absent from the debate. Pic: AP
Speaking instead at a Fox News town hall meeting in Des Moines, Trump said he agreed with Mr Christie, after he was overheard saying Ms Haley was “going to get smoked” when going up against Mr DeSantis, adding: “She’s not up for this.”
Trump said he was not worried if Mr Christie’s exit from the race would boost Ms Haley’s candidacy, instead hinting that he knows who he wants to be his vice president.
The former president had the support of 49% of Republicans in a nationwide poll conducted by Reuters and market research company, Ipsos, on Wednesday, far ahead of Ms Haley in second place at 12% and Mr DeSantis at 11%.
Children are among the fatalities in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.
Police said four people had died and 10 were wounded in the incident in Stockton, about 60 miles east of San Francisco.
Officers were called on Saturday to a banquet hall just before 6pm local time (2am UK time) and district attorney Ron Freitas said children were among the dead.
He said the attacker was still at large.
First responders walk through a parking lot near the scene of a mass shooting in Stockton, California. Pics: AP
“We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on X.
The post said early indications suggest it could be a “targeted incident” but that information remains limited.
Police have so far not disclosed the attacker’s identity and the motive is unclear.
Stockton’s vice mayor Jason Lee confirmed on Facebook that the shooting on Lucile Avenue happened at a child’s birthday party.
Pics: AP
Mayor Christina Fugazzi also said that “families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive”.
California governor Gavin Newsom’s office added that he had been briefed on the “horrific shooting”.
Venezuela has accused Donald Trump of a “colonial threat” after he said the airspace “above and surrounding” the country should be considered closed “in its entirety”.
Mr Trump made the declaration amid growing tensions with President Maduro – and as the US continues attacking boats it claims are carrying drugs from Venezuela.
He wrote on Truth Social: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
Air traffic above Venezuela on Saturday afternoon. Pic: FlightRadar24
Venezuela’s foreign affairs office called it a “colonial threat” and “illegal, and unjustified aggression”.
It accused the president of threatening “the sovereignty of the national airspace… and the full sovereignty of the Venezuelan state”.
President Trump’s words were part of a “permanent policy of aggression against our country” that breached international law and the UN Charter, it added.
The Pentagon and the White House have so far not given any additional detail on the president’s statement.
Mr Trump’s post comes after the American aviation regulator last week warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuela due to a “worsening security situation”.
Nicolas Maduro is widely considered a dictator by the West. Pic: Reuters
The South American nation revoked operating rights for six major airlines that went on to suspend flights to the country.
Mr Trump warned a few days ago that land operations against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers would begin “very soon”.
Such a move would be a major escalation in Operation Southern Spear – the US naval deployment in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific that’s so far attacked at least 21 vessels.
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Three killed as US strikes another alleged drug boat
Venezuela has said the attacks, which have killed more than 80 people, amount to murder.
The US has released videos of boats being targeted, but hasn’t provided evidence – such as photos of their cargo – to support the smuggling claims.
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The Pentagon has sought to justify the strikes by labelling the drug gangs as “foreign terrorist organisations” – putting them on par with the likes of al Qaeda.
It claims the boats targeted are carrying drugs bound for the US, although Sky’s chief correspondent says the final destination is likely to be Europe and West Africa.
President Maduro has denied Mr Trump’s claims he is involved in the drugs trade himself and said his counterpart wants to oust him so he can install a more sympathetic government.
Venezuelan officials have also claimed Mr Trump’s true motivation is access to the country’s plentiful oil reserves.
Mr Maduro is widely considered a dictator who’s cheated elections and has been president since 2013.
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