Chris Christie applauds Trump for ‘taking responsibility’ with DC crime crackdown: ‘No excuse’

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie lauded President Donald Trump for taking decisive action to crack down on crime in the nation’s capital, telling Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade that the move is not only right, but it’s also long overdue.

“It’s a federal city, and I think the president is taking responsibility for what he needs to take responsibility for and what Joe Biden didn’t take responsibility for,” he said Monday on “The Brian Kilmeade Show.”

“There’s no excuse for our nation’s capital to be a crime-ridden place.”

Trump, on Monday, announced that he is activating National Guard troops and is taking over the Metropolitan Police Department to tackle crime in Washington, D.C., after beefing up federal law enforcement presence in the area on Saturday.  

He told reporters at a press conference that the National Guard deployment seeks to “reestablish law, order, and public safety” in D.C. and that the Metropolitan Police Department is being placed under the authority of Attorney General Pam Bondi to mitigate crime.

The moves come in the wake of a violent assault on a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer on Aug. 3 in Washington’s Logan Circle. 

Christie, who has been a vocal Trump critic at times, said the current state of lawlessness should be an “embarrass[ment],” and he hopes the president’s plan succeeds for everyone’s benefit.

“We have people from all over the world who want to come to Washington, D.C. to see the seat of the greatest democracy, and when they walk around the city, we should be embarrassed,” he said. 

“So I’m glad the president’s doing what he’s doing. I hope he does it well, because if he does well, everybody who lives in Washington and everybody who visits Washington are going to benefit by it.”

Christie also weighed in on the New Jersey gubernatorial race, believing Republican Jack Ciattarelli has a “legitimate shot” to defeat Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill.

“People in New Jersey are growing very tired of one-party rule in the state,” he said.