Christie tried to defend Trump’s behavior detailed in Comey’s prepared testimony.
Demanding pledges of loyalty at a one-on-one dinner? Asking the FBI director to drop an investigation into one of your associates? That’s just “normal New York City conversation” to President Trump, according to New Jersey governor and onetime member of Trump’s inner circle Chris Christie. Shortly after fired FBI Director James Comey’s was released Wednesday afternoon, Chris Christie appeared on MSNBC to offer a defense of Trump’s interactions with Comey, which Comey himself called “inappropriate.” In his testimony, Comey detailed a with Trump that made him “uncomfortable” and led him to document every interaction. The testimony includes Comey’s allegation that Trump asked him to drop the FBI investigation into fired National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. When MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace asked about this allegation, Christie blamed Trump’s inexperience with government agencies, and said Trump considers that sort of thing “normal New York City conversation.” Here’s the extended quote: People immediately took to Twitter to analyze — and in some cases to mock — Christie’s response. Comey will deliver his prepared testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee. But in the meantime, Christie’s early response offers a window into how the GOP and Twitter users might respond to Comey’s statement and his answers to questions from senators on the committee.
