New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is in line for a top spot within a potential Donald Trump White House, said Wednesday he thinks Trump would have to send more troops to fight ISIS in the Middle East if he wins in November.
“I do think he’ll wind up, you know, wind up having to commit more troops there,” Christie told CNN’s Jake Tapper. He added, “When you sit and talk to him about facts, he listens, absorbs and alters his view. I think that’s what we want from a politician.”
In March, Trump said at a CNN-hosted debate that the US has “no choice” but to defeat ISIS and said he was “hearing” that as many as 30,000 troops might be necessary to achieve that goal. He then told CBS News on Sunday that he would declare war on the terrorist group and send “very few” US troops to combat them.
Christie said he expects Trump to become more aggressive after he delivers his convention speech Thursday. He added that Trump is “strong” about increasing US overseas intelligence capabilities and said the Republican nominee would be “consistent in his rhetoric on the nature of the threat.”
The New Jersey governor also said he talked with Trump Tuesday but did not talk about Melania Trump, whose speech on Monday plagiarized passages from a 2008 address delivered by First Lady Michelle Obama. He said he expected to talk about Melania’s speech with Trump later Wednesday. A Trump organization staffer took responsibility for the incident Wednesday.
“I don’t know what the dynamic is that’s going on within the Trump household right now, but I know Melania very well,” Christie said. “And I know Melania is a private person, really intelligent, really cares about Donald, loves him and loves her son.”
Christie said the speech controversy has become demeaning for her.
“Now there’s all this stuff from a speech that she probably didn’t want to give in the first place, that is demeaning to her even by extension,” he said.
Christie also almost dared Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to endorse Trump when he addresses the convention Wednesday night.
“I hope Ted Cruz gets up tonight when he speaks tonight and keeps his word, endorses Trump,” Christie told Tapper, referring to a pledge the rivals made early in the campaign to support the GOP nominee. Cruz and Trump were also friendly early in the campaign. Christie joked that Cruz was “kissing Donald’s rear” during the first part of the campaign.