A super PAC backing former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's presidential campaign released a new ad on Monday targeting former President Donald Trump over recent comments he made about Hezbollah in the wake of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Trump has faced widespread criticism from the Republican 2024 field and Democrats for calling the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah "very smart" last week during an event during a Club 47 event in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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Tell It Like It Is, the super PAC backing Christie, released a 60-second ad titled "Fool," a reference to comments the former governor made in response to Trump's controversial remarks.
“He’s a fool. Only a fool would make those kinds of comments," Christie told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "Only a fool would give comments that could give aid and comfort to Israel’s adversary. This is someone who cares not about the American people, not about the people of Israel. But he cares about one person and one person only: the person he sees in the mirror when he wakes up in the morning."
"We cannot once again nominate a fool like this and get him anywhere near the presidency of the United States. And having a fool like Donald Trump who would make those comments, in the tone that he made them, has proven to folks that he has no business being President of the United States," the presidential candidate said.
Other Republican rivals who have blasted Trump's Hezbollah comments include Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Trump's closest competitor.
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"Terrorists have murdered at least 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans and are holding more hostage, so it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for President, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as 'very smart,'" DeSantis said. "As President, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are."
Trump presently leads the 2024 field in national polling. A RealClearPolitics poll average shows Trump at 58.3% support, while DeSantis is at 12.9% and Christie is at 2.8%.