SALEM, N.H. — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hit back at former President Donald Trump Tuesday after both delivered remarks to New Hampshire voters at separate events and Mr. Trump referred to a “fat pig” line.

“If you had the guts you would show up to the debate and say it to my face,” Mr. Christie posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, above a video of Mr. Trump making his remarks before attendees in Wyndham, New Hampshire

Mr. Trump taunted Mr. Christie, an opponent in the GOP presidential race, about his eating habits and weight while telling the crowd polls show him ahead of the former New Jersey governor, who was once his ally on the 2016 campaign trail and during his administration.

“Christie, he’s eating right now,” Mr. Trump said. “He can’t be bothered.”

The male audience member yelled out at that point to provoke the former president.

“Sir, please do not call him a fat pig. I’m trying to be nice. Don’t call him a fat pig,” Mr. Trump responded. “You can’t do that.”

In a New Hampshire Journal poll released Tuesday, Mr. Christie has climbed into second place in the Granite State, putting him in a dead heat with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but both are still far behind Mr. Trump.

All three have qualified for the first Republican debate on Aug. 23 in Milwaukee.

But Mr. Trump is publicly undecided about whether to show up. He polled the audience in Wyndham about whether he should go to the debate and has been attacked by his opponents, primarily Mr. Christie and his super PAC, of being “afraid to debate.”