‘Morning Joe’ Co-Host Mika Slams Chris Christie for Lack of Trump Attacks During GOP Debate

Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski confronted Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie on Thursday morning for a lack of criticism for former President Donald Trump during the GOP debate. Sharp exchanges characterized the confrontation, with both parties standing firm on issues ranging from Trump's controversial statements to the abortion debate.

Morning Joe hosts, including Brzezinski, dubbed the GOP debate an "embarrassing mess" full of "cringy" and "awkward moments." Their main concern was the candidates' apparent reluctance to criticize Trump, especially in the aftermath of a judge finding him liable for massive fraud and his controversial call for the execution of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, reports The Wrap.

Brzezinski wasted no time addressing Christie, expressing surprise at the lack of harsh criticism of Trump during the debate. "What the heck was that? What happened last night?" she inquired, prompting Christie to defend his performance.

Christie, visibly defensive, listed instances where he had directly taken on Trump during the debate and claimed that he had done his job. Brzezinski, on the other hand, persisted, focusing on Trump's social media post advocating Milley's execution. Christie insisted that he had addressed the issue previously on social media and in interviews.

Brzezinski raised her voice again, emphasizing that her criticism extended beyond Christie to all Republican candidates on the stage. Christie responded by implying that the other candidates were vying for positions in Trump's potential future administration, implying that he was not willing to be the defense counsel for others.

The back-and-forth reflected the Republican Party's deep divisions, with some candidates hesitant to openly challenge Trump, possibly hoping to secure future political alliances or positions within a Trump-led government. Brzezinski also clashed with Christie over abortion rights, citing New Jersey's law that allows abortions in the ninth month of pregnancy. Brzezinski disputed Christie's claim, claiming that ninth-month abortions are rare unless there is a major emergency. The argument heated up as Brzezinski accused Christie of being dishonest about the situation.

Christie defended his remarks, emphasizing that he was highlighting permissive abortion laws in certain states rather than claiming widespread ninth-month abortions. Brzezinski responded by claiming that Christie was painting an inaccurate picture of the abortion issue and that it was a matter of healthcare for women in dire situations.

The debate highlighted the GOP's ongoing battle over reproductive rights, with Christie advocating for state-level abortion decisions while avoiding a direct response to whether Congress should consider a federal 15-week abortion ban, as per The Wrap.

As the debate heated up, Brzezinski emphasized the personal nature of the abortion debate for women and warned Christie that if he was not honest about it, he risked losing ground on the issue. Christie remained steadfast, insisting that he was accurately representing state laws.