A senior Trump official reportedly laughed at the idea of Chris Christie getting a role in the administration
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's chances at a future in President-elect Donald Trump's administration keep getting slimmer and slimmer. Days after Christie lost his position as chair of Trump's transition team to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, NBC News reported that a senior Trump official "merely laughed" when asked if Christie might get tapped for a job in the administration.
While some attribute Christie's waning popularity among the Trump team to his perceived lack of loyalty after the release of Trump's Access Hollywood tape or "dissatisfaction with his team's work" on the transition, NBC News reported that Trump insiders say it may very well boil down to tensions between Christie and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. In 2005 while serving as a U.S. attorney, Christie prosecuted Kushner's father for charges including tax evasion and illegal campaign contributions; Kushner's father spent two years in prison as a result.
Christie reportedly isn't the only one getting burned by his rocky relationship with Kushner. NBC News reported that Gen. Michael Flynn — "bearing instructions" from Kushner — nixed several people at the transition team's first post-election meeting. All of the candidates Flynn pulled out of the running for national security and intelligence positions, NBC News reported, were people Christie had supported, including retired Marine General Peter Pace, retired Marine General James Mattis, former House Intelligence chairman Mike Rogers, and retired Admiral William McRaven, the architect of the Osama bin Laden raid in 2011.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For more reports from inside Trump's transition team, head over to NBC News.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What message is Trump sending with his Cabinet picks?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION By nominating high-profile loyalists like Matt Gaetz and RFK Jr., is Trump serious about creating a functioning Cabinet, or does he have a different plan in mind?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate GOP selects Thune, House GOP keeps Johnson
Speed Read John Thune will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader, and Mike Johnson will remain House speaker in Congress
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump tests GOP loyalty with Gaetz, Gabbard picks
Speed Read He named Matt Gaetz as his pick for attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Both have little experience in their proposed jurisdictions.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published