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Chris Christie Criticizes Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Calls Their Family's Activities a "Breathtaking Grift"

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Bijay Laxmi
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Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie addresses a town hall meeting in New Hampshire. 
Image Credit: Charles Krupa/AP

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie launched his campaign on Tuesday by taking a direct swipe at Ivanka Trump, daughter of former President Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner. Speaking at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, Christie criticized the family's activities, describing them as a "breathtaking grift."

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Alleged Saudi Investment

Christie specifically highlighted a $2 billion investment made by the Saudi-backed Public Investment Fund, controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, into Kushner's investment firm, A Fin Management, LLC (Affinity) in 2021. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform initiated an investigation into the investment to determine whether Kushner had improperly utilized his government influence to secure it.

During his tenure as an advisor to his father-in-law's administration, Kushner focused on policy matters in the Middle East. Following former President Trump's departure from office, Kushner established Affinity in Delaware in January 2021. Just six months later, he received the $2 billion investment, as reported by the House committee.

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Christie's Accusations and Concerns

Questioning the source of Kushner's investment success, Christie rhetorically asked whether it was due to his investing prowess or his proximity to the President of the United States over four years, suggesting favors were exchanged with the Saudis. Christie emphasized that the $2 billion investment belonged to the American people and accused Kushner of misappropriating it for his family's benefit, going so far as to assert that such actions turned the nation into a "banana republic."

Christie, who has become an outspoken critic of former President Trump in recent times, did not hold back during the town hall meeting. He described Trump as a "lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog," drawing a comparison to the villainous character Voldemort from the "Harry Potter" series.

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Christie's Presidential Bid and Trump's Lead

While Chris Christie officially entered the race as a Republican presidential candidate after filing the necessary paperwork, it is important to note that former President Trump still holds the front-runner position. A recent poll indicated that only 2 percent of Republican-leaning voters chose Christie as their preferred candidate.

As the race for the Republican presidential nomination continues to unfold, Chris Christie's campaign launch featured scathing criticism of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, accusing their family of engaging in a "breathtaking grift." Christie's vocal attacks on former President Trump and his ongoing criticism of his policies and actions underscore the dynamics within the Republican party ahead of the upcoming election.

ChrisChristie IvankaTrump JaredKushner
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