Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defended President Donald Trump on Wednesday after he refused to condemn hate groups and white supremacists during the first presidential debate on Tuesday.
When asked by moderator Chris Wallace to condemn white supremacists, Trump instead said, “stand back and stand by.”
“I heard it differently last night,” Christie said on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” on Wednesday morning.
Host George Stephanopoulos noted that Trump “said stand up and stand by. He said stand by. That was a call to arms,” but Christie, who helped the president prepare for the debate, said he “didn’t read it that way, but if you want to read it that way that’s your prerogative.”
He added later that Trump “has to clarify that answer because folks like you and others are confused by it then he should do that. I think, you know, what happened last night as I said during our program last night the president came out much too hot in that regard, too aggressive in the debate and that [Democrat presidential nominee] Joe Biden came out in a way that concerned me as well.”
Stephanopoulos pointed out that “the Proud Boys weren't confused by what the president said. They were cheering overnight.”
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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