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%.
Thousands of people gathered in various cities across the US as protests against Donald Trump and Elon Musk took place in all 50 states on Saturday.
Around 1,200 demonstrations were planned in locations including Washington DC, New York City and West Palm Beach, Florida – just miles away from where the US president has this weekend played golf.
The “Hands Off!” protests were against the Trump administration’s handling of government downsizing, human rights and the economy, among other issues.
In Washington DC, protesters streamed on the grass in front of the Washington Monument, where one person carried a banner which read: “Make democracy great again.”
Thousands gathered in Washington DC to rally against various Trump policies. Pic: AP
Pic: AP
Another protester took aim at Mr Trump‘s handling of Russia and Ukraine, with a placard that read: “Stop Putin’s puppets from destroying America.”
Tesla boss Mr Musk also featured on many signs due to his role in controversial government cuts as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Demonstrators in NYC. Pic: AP
People marching in Atlanta, Georgia. Pic: Reuters
A rally in Vermont. Pic: The Brattleboro Reformer via AP
Terry Klein, a retired biomedical scientist, said she drove to the rally to protest Mr Trump’s policies on “everything from immigration to the DOGE stuff to the tariffs this week, to education”.
“I mean, our whole country is under attack, all of our institutions, all the things that make America what it is,” she added.
A drone view of the protest at the Utah State Capitol building. Pic Reuters
A protester sports a Handmaid’s Tale costume. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
Some at the various protests carried Ukrainian flags, while others sported rainbow attire and waved rainbow flags in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Other protesters wore Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and carried “Free Palestine” signs.
Thousands marched in New York City’s midtown Manhattan and in Boston, Massachusetts, while hundreds gathered in the sunshine outside the Utah State Capitol building in Salt Lake City, and in the rain outside the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
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Mr Trump – who shook financial markets with his tariffs announcement this week – spent the day in Florida, playing a round of golf before returning to his Mar-a-Lago residence.
People protest in Manhattan. Pic: Reuters
Activists in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Pic: AP
Some four miles from Mar-a-Lago, more than 400 people gathered – and drivers honked their horns in support of protesters who held up signs including one which read: “Markets tank, Trump golfs.”
The White House has said Mr Trump plans to go golfing again on Sunday.
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