During a campaign speech in New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump added a touch of humor to the political atmosphere by playfully teasing fellow Republican presidential contender and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about his weight.
However, the lighthearted moment took an unexpected turn when Trump took a mock-serious tone and chided a member of the audience who had apparently used the term “fat pig” to refer to Christie.
“Christie – he’s probably enjoying a meal right now. He can’t be bothered,” Trump quipped, eliciting laughter from the assembled crowd.
“Sir, let’s not resort to name-calling. It’s not appropriate to label him a ‘fat pig.’ Let’s aim for a higher level of discourse,” Trump addressed the individual who had used the term, adopting a faux sternness.
“We should refrain from using derogatory terms. So now, because we believe in civility, we’re going to avoid that, alright? We want to keep the tone civil and respectful,” Trump added, breaking into a chuckle.
This latest instance of Trump’s comments continues a recurring theme of him poking fun at Christie’s weight, which has been a source of jest in the past.
In June, following Christie’s announcement of his second presidential campaign, Trump took to social media to make playful remarks about Christie’s size.
“How many times did Chris Christie use the word SMALL? Does he have a psychological problem with SIZE?” Trump posted on his Truth Social account, referencing Christie’s campaign speech.
“Frankly, his speech came across as SMALL, and not very impressive. It rambled aimlessly, leaving listeners puzzled about its direction. Hard to sit through, uninspiring – but then again, that’s to be expected from a Governor (New Jersey) whose approval rating was a mere 7% upon leaving office, and who had a less-than-stellar reception in New Hampshire. I doubt this time will be any different!” he added.
In September, Trump shared an image resembling Christie standing by a buffet: “Chris Christie at a late-night Roy Rogers, trying to find solace,” Trump captioned the picture.
Responding to Trump’s weight-related remarks in June, Christie fired back during an interview with Howard Kurtz on “MediaBuzz” on Fox News.
“Oh, like he’s the picture of physical fitness?” Christie retorted, referring to Trump’s own appearance.