New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie discredited Donald Trump’s offbeat claim that “thousands” of people cheered in the Garden State as the Twin Towers tumbled on 9/11.
“It didn’t happen,” Gov. Christie said at a campaign stop in New Hampshire Monday. “And the fact is, people can say anything, but the facts are the facts, and that didn’t happen in New Jersey that day and hasn’t happened since.”
On CNN Monday, Christie said, “it’s just wrong. It’s factually wrong. Everybody else can figure out what they think is outrageous or not outrageous — in the context of Donald, outrageous is a high bar.”
Christie’s statements to reporters Monday were much stronger than statements he made last week when he said he “didn’t remember” any news of “thousands” of people cheering in New Jersey, ABC News reports. But Christie denies trying to “hedge anything” when he said he didn’t remember, he was simply “telling the truth.”
Trump has repeatedly said he is aware of such an event occurring on September 11. He’s cited news reports, but both the Washington Post and the story’s reporter have said his interpretation of the facts is incorrect. Fact checkers at several other publications have also found that Trump’s story is false. Yet, the business mogul is standing by his statements.
On Monday, Trump responded to Christie saying the governor should be “careful what he says.”
“He didn’t say that the other day. He was very weak the other day,” Trump said, CNN reports. “So the other day he said it like, well, he doesn’t know. And now, I guess he feels a little bit emboldened. He must be careful with what he says.”
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