During an interview on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie took aim at former President Donald Trump for frequently attacking his weight. Host Stephen Smith asked Christie how these personal attacks from Trump, centered around his weight, affect him.
Christie responded by describing Trump as a “child” and likening the attacks to playground bullying. He highlighted the fact that millions of Americans struggle with weight issues on a daily basis, including himself. Christie acknowledged his own weight loss journey, mentioning that he had undergone surgery and achieved significant progress during his time as governor. However, he noted that he still had more progress to make. He criticized Trump for engaging in such behavior, considering him immature and small-minded.
Christie then turned the tables on Trump, suggesting that he himself does not possess the physique of a “Greek god” like Arnold Schwarzenegger. He pointed out Trump’s appearance in golfing pictures and questioned his supposed physical superiority.
While Christie mentioned that these comments do not personally affect him, he emphasized that they could alienate potential voters in the 2024 election. He expressed concern for other Americans who struggle with weight-related issues, suggesting that Trump’s remarks could amplify their self-consciousness. Christie further argued that weight remains one of the few areas of physical discrimination that is still socially acceptable in the United States.
When Smith raised the point that Trump still maintains a significant support base despite his habit of mocking others, he asked Christie how he plans to sway those voters to support him instead. Christie responded by posing a question to Trump supporters, asking them to consider whether they would want their own child or grandchild to be subjected to such derogatory comments. He called into question the character of someone who engages in such behavior and questioned whether such a person is fit to hold the highest office in the country.
“He’s a child. I mean, this is the kind of stuff, Stephen A. that happens in the school yard. You’re making fun of people in elementary school for the guy or the woman who’s overweight,” Christie said.
“As you know, there are tens of millions of Americans out there who struggle each and every day with their weight. And I’m one of them. And I’ve been on all kinds of diets. I’ve had surgery and I’ve done much better than I did when I was governor. I lost a lot of weight when I was governor and I’ve kept most of that weight off, but I still have a lot more to go. I just look at him and think what a child, how small he to be doing things like that,” Christie added.
Christie said Trump doesn’t look like a “Greek god.”
“Maybe he should look in the mirror, cause this guy ain’t Arnold Schwarzenegger. Okay. I’ve seen some of those pictures of him golfing. He doesn’t look like a Greek god to me,” Christie said.
