TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday said he still supports Donald Trump, even though he finds the Republican presidential candidate’s sexually aggressive comments “completely indefensible” and “unacceptable.”
Christie addressed what Trump has described as “locker room talk” for the first time publicly during a guest-host appearance on the “Boomer & Carton Show” on New York City sports radio station WFAN-AM.
In the 2005 recording released Friday, Trump is heard saying he can grab, kiss and “do anything” with women because he is famous. He has denied that he’s ever grabbed women without their consent.
Christie, who leads Trump’s transition team, said he urged the candidate on Friday to be contrite and apologetic. The governor said he didn’t think Trump’s apology was enough.
“I didn’t think it was on Friday or Saturday and I told him that. I would have done it much differently,” Christie said.
The governor said he thinks Trump is sorry and embarrassed by the recording.
“On the video itself … it is completely indefensible and I won’t defend it and haven’t defended it,” Christie said. “That kind of talk and conversation, even in private, is just unacceptable.”
Christie said he didn’t go to Sunday’s presidential debate in St. Louis because he had issues to deal with in New Jersey, and not because he was protesting Trump’s actions.
However, Christie said he had to consider whether to continue to support Trump.
“I’m really upset by what I heard. But in the end, this election is about bigger issues than just that,” he said.
Christie’s Lt Gov. Kim Guadagno has decided not to support Trump.
The governor, who can’t seek a third term, said he has not been approached by other Republicans to replace Trump as the party’s presidential candidate, and said he would not be interested in doing that.
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