Former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), in a preview from Friday’s broadcast of PBS’s “Firing Line,” said former President Donald Trump undeniably gave him COVID-19 when they prepped for the first presidential election debate after Trump tested positive.
Hoover said, “You spent a week in intensive care, battling COVID, and you wrote in your book that it was touch and go for parts — it could’ve gone either way…I’m glad you made a full recovery. You tested positive three days after the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. And you had been with the president for four days prior to the debate preparing him for the debate. Starting on Sept. 26.”
Christie said, “Correct.”
Hoover continued, “According to Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, in his new book, Trump tested positive for COVID on Sept. 26 — six days before he revealed that he had been diagnosed with COVID. You said that your wife Mary Pat and you had an ‘interesting reaction’ when you learned this from Mark Meadows’ book. What was that reaction?”
Christie said, “I can’t believe Mark Meadows didn’t tell me.”
Hoover said, “You didn’t think Trump would have told you?”
Christie said, “Well, that’s obvious, of course, Trump should’ve told all of us…Mark should’ve said to all of us, ‘Hey, the president tested positive for COVID. We’re having another test.'”
He continued, “He had an obligation to tell us. To tell us that, ‘Hey, he tested positive.’ I would’ve worn a mask if I knew that. We knew everybody in that room except for the president was getting tested every day. We didn’t know what the president’s testing regimen was. So, if Mark Meadows knew that somebody that I was sitting across from for four days had popped a positive test, he, as the White House chief of staff — put aside the president for a second, obviously the president is my friend — should’ve looked at me and told me that. That’s obvious. But I think what’s less obvious is that Mark Meadows saved this for his book. He saved it for a book. He didn’t tell us. I went into the hospital in the intensive care unit. He didn’t call and tell me. So I think that’s inexcusable.”
Hoover asked, “You had always suspected you got it from the president, is that right?”
Christie said, “The only reason I suspected it was because he was the only person who I didn’t know his testing regimen that I was in close contact with.”
Hoover said, “So did this confirm for you that you did, in fact, get it from the president?”
Christie said, “Oh, I think it’s undeniable.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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