Politico
By Daniel Strauss
July 23, 2015
Chris Christie has pulled the welcome mat out from under Donald Trump.
In
an interview with Fox News’ The Five on Wednesday, the New Jersey
governor and 2016 presidential candidate was asked: If Trump wanted to
bring a new casino to the Atlantic
City Boardwalk, would you welcome him back? Christie’s response was
clear.
“I
don’t think we need more casinos in Atlantic City,” Christie said.
“It’s a misunderstanding on some people’s part what happened in Atlantic
City. Atlantic City built
12 casinos at a time where we were a monopoly east of the Mississippi.
In the years since then, we’ve had 38 other states get casino gaming.
Well, of course you’re going to need less casinos in Atlantic City. Now,
I hate that any of them had to close because
people lost their jobs. It’s a natural downsizing. What’s happening in
Atlantic City — non-gaming revenue is going up. Gaming revenue is
staying flat. Atlantic City is going to be fine over time.”
Christie’s
comments come as Republicans are busy denouncing Trump for his
inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants, whom he characterized as
“rapists” and criminals,
and Arizona Sen. John McCain, whom he said was “not a war hero.”
But a little less than a year ago, Christie said he would welcome a Trump investment in Atlantic City properties.
“If
Donald Trump wants to come in and be a participant again in an active
way in Atlantic City I’d welcome him, and I think most people in New
Jersey would,” Christie
said in September 2014, according to NJ.com.
That
NJ.com report cited a prior tweet by Trump floating that he might buy
back into the Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino and the Trump Taj Mahal.
(Christie’s campaign said
the New Jersey governor’s comments referred to “about the city and what
needs to happen there, so it has to do with the future of the city not
Trump.”)
In
multiple media interviews, Christie has noted his long friendship with
Trump, even while saying the real estate tycoon’s comments were wrong.
Christie has recently
said he’d prefer not to talk about Trump anymore.
“You
know, enough,” Christie said earlier in July on Fox and Friends. “We’ve
answered the questions. It’s inappropriate. The comments were
inappropriate. But listen, Donald
is a friend, I’ve known for 13 years and I like him personally. But his
comments were inappropriate. That’s now the 50th time I’ve said it.
It’s going to be the last time I say it.”
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