“Look when you show intolerance for everyone, which is what he does,” GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie says of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, “you give permission, as a leader, for others to have their intolerance come out.”
Fighting gag orders imposed on him by separate courts, former President Trump’s lawyers have been working to distance their client from the intolerant acts of those he dictates to on social media.
In legal filings, Trump’s counsel claims that whatever threats have been issued by Trump’s followers against the judge and a court clerk in his civil fraud trial in New York — as well as threats against potential witnesses and prosecutors in his federal election interference case — don’t meaningfully track back to Trump, even as prosecutors claim Trump’s invective against the court personnel and others creates a clear danger to them.
And today, Team Trump responded, insisting the information is irrelevant, could have been brought to the court’s attention earlier, and in any event, isn’t Trump’s problem because he never *directly* threatened the law clerk. 2/https://t.co/FUpPX1QB60
— Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) November 24, 2023
Christie shared the post of his CNN interview, captioning it with a message he says applies not just to Trump but to administrators of American universities and others who countenance intolerance and, he says, antisemitism. Intolerance, Christie explains, is contagious and will spread if condoned and amplified at the top of the chain.
Donald Trump's intolerant language and his intolerant conduct gives others permission to act the same.
— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) November 26, 2023
Intolerance towards anyone encourages intolerance towards everyone. pic.twitter.com/75gtZfaJ9s
“Donald Trump’s intolerant language and his intolerant conduct gives others permission to act the same,” Christie asserts, saying “Intolerance towards anyone encourages intolerance towards everyone.”
Since he announced his campaign, Christie has been badgering Trump in the media and accusing the former President of being “a coward” afraid to debate and willing to use others to make good on his threats.
But Trump’s GOP primary lead remained large and steady, despite Christie’s criticism. If Trump has, as Christie claims, given permission for his base to be intolerant — and threatening — his constituency appears to enjoy that permission and be in no hurry to have it taken away.
