Jimmy Fallon Roasts Christie’s Quick Exit From 2024 Race in Hilarious Monologue on ‘Tonight Show’

The abrupt suspension of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's 2024 presidential candidacy was ridiculed by host Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night's hilarious episode of The Tonight Show, which turned the politician's change of heart into fodder for Fallon's monologue. The host of Tonight Show used his trademark humor as he ridiculed Christie for his choice and brought attention to his promise to block any possibility of Donald Trump winning the presidency again.

Fallon humorously introduced his monologue with a joke about his Uber driver's admiration for Matthew McConaughey, the guest, and deftly included a reference to Christie in his reply, saying, "That’s nice Governor Christie, I’ll pass that along." The transition laid the groundwork for Fallon's lighthearted analysis of Christie's unexpected departure from the 2024 contest, which went against the former governor's prior declarations that he had no plans to concede. According to The Wrap, Fallon jokingly said, "Christie’s just like us," noting that the former governor "Made a goal for 2024 and then quit 10 days into January. It happens! It happens to everybody."

Fallon, though, didn't stop there with the humor. He entered the political sphere, drawing attention to Christie's recent development as a prominent opponent of Donald Trump. The once-loyal Trump backer has now pledged to stop Trump from winning the presidency again, putting this goal ahead of his own political goals. Fallon took advantage of the occasion to criticize Christie's background by bringing up the dreadful "Bridgegate" controversy from 2013.

"Christie said, if he has to, he could always shut down the roads leading to the White House," Fallon joked. "He’ll do whatever — he can always do that," referring to the episode where a staff member of Christie's cooperated with others nominated by the governor to purposefully create traffic jams in a scandal that became known as "Bridgegate."

"I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again," remarked Christie, addressing the attendees at a Windham, New Hampshire, rally, as reported by Wionews. "It's clear to me tonight that there isn't a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I'm suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States," he said.

On a hot mic just before the announcement, Christie voiced doubts about the prospects of Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, who could challenge Trump. He said that she would "get smoked" and questioned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's preparedness for the contest, observing that he seemed "petrified."

Christie's exit occurs just five days before the Iowa caucuses, which kick off the state-by-state competition that will choose the Republican nominee in July. Christie begged Republican voters not to back Trump in his closing address, charging that he puts his interests before the welfare of the nation. The Republican nominee is anticipated to face off against Joe Biden, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, in November's general election.