ABC News suspends relationship with Christie ahead of expected campaign launch

ABC News has suspended its relationship with contributor Chris Christie ahead of the former New Jersey governor’s expected entrance into the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

“In light of Chris Christie’s pending campaign announcement, ABC News is suspending the relationship with him as contributor,” an ABC News spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Hill.

Christie joined ABC News as a contributor in early 2018 and has been absent from the Sunday show panel for the last two weeks. Christie, who ran for president in 2016, has reportedly been mulling whether to launch a presidential bid for months.

Previously an ally to former President Trump, Christie grew increasingly outspoken against the former president’s false claims of election fraud in the months after the 2020 election. Christie has said he could not back another Trump bid for the White House and has been critical of candidates who have not taken more forceful stands against Trump.

Christie, who is expected to make his campaign announcement Tuesday, has said he sees himself as “the viable Trump alternative.”

Christie would join several other GOP candidates seeking to secure the party’s nomination away from Trump, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and others. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also reported to be planning a campaign launch next week.

Dominick Mastrangelo contributed.

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