Trump Avoiding GOP Debate? Chris Christie Says He Is 'Afraid' Of Opponents

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said Donald Trump is "afraid" to face Republican presidential hopefuls in their first debate this summer.

What Happened: Christie told conservative talk-show host Hugh Hewitt that "Obviously, he's afraid."

"He's afraid to get on the stage against people who are serious. And I'm sorry to see that he's that afraid of it."

The front-running Republican candidate for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Trump, last month indicated that he's unlikely to attend the debates because he is "leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers" and doesn't want to subject himself to being "libeled and abused."

Christie said Trump must be afraid a debate could cause him to lose his polling lead. "If he's that afraid of that, how can we count on him to do any better with President Xi than the failures he had in his first term with China? How can we expect him to do any better with Putin than having set the groundwork for the invasion of Ukraine, which his conduct towards Putin certainly helped to establish?"

"This is a guy who seems like he's afraid," Christie said. "And if he's afraid, he has no business being president."

Why It Matters: Recent polls have suggested that the former President continues to be a popular candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination in upcoming elections. Despite his loss in the 2020 presidential election, Trump has maintained a significant following among Republican voters, and his endorsements continue to carry weight in the party.

According to a new poll from Morning Consult, since the indictment and arrest, Trump is gaining support among Republican voters. In the poll, Trump has 56% support among Republican voters who would pick him today to win the party's nomination.

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