Chris Christie Declares "The Trump Era Is Over" After GOP Midterm Losses

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is declaring that the "Trump era is over" after Republicans suffered sweeping losses in Tuesday's midterm elections.

"The Trump era is over," Christie told the New York Post after an election that handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress. "The Republican Party needs to move on."

Christie, 64, has been one of President Donald Trump's most persistent Republican critics and challenged him unsuccessfully for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Now he says Republicans should use the defeat as a chance to redefine the party before the 2028 presidential election.

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"A Repudiation of Trump"

"Let me be clear, I do not believe that the voters last night picked Democrats," Christie said. "This was a repudiation of Trump and the Republican Party."

Republicans went into Tuesday controlling both the House and Senate. Democrats flipped more than 30 Republican-held House seats along with several Senate seats, and the GOP will be in the minority in both chambers when the new Congress convenes in January.

Christie argued the results showed that Trump's influence over Republican candidates had become a liability rather than an asset.

His assessment echoes arguments already emerging among some Republicans after Tuesday's losses, though it remains far from the consensus inside the party.

A Warning for Democrats

Christie also warned Democrats not to treat their wins as an endorsement of socialism or the party's most progressive ideas.

"I think there's a very real and serious chance that the Democrats will overplay their hand — that they will misread [the election]," he said. "The country didn't vote for socialism."

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Christie said voters were mainly expressing dissatisfaction with Republicans and Trump, not embracing the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. That distinction could matter as Democrats decide how to use their new majorities.

Democrats campaigned on affordability, but critics note they failed to deliver on similar promises when they controlled Congress during Joe Biden's first two years, when inflation hit record highs.

GOP Leaders Stand With Trump

Christie's view is not shared by Republican leaders, who have largely stayed publicly supportive of the president. "Thankfully, we still have President Trump in the White House, and we'll work with him to stop the worst impulses of Democrat extremism," Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

Trump struck a conciliatory tone after the results. "I think the Democrats did a good job," he told Fox News. "I can work with them on many things."

Trump still holds major leverage through his veto. Democrats would generally need two-thirds majorities in both chambers to override him during the final two years of his term.

The incoming Democratic House will have subpoena and investigative power over the administration, while the Senate will gain control over judicial and executive-branch confirmations.

Christie's relationship with Trump has swung wildly. He endorsed Trump after ending his 2016 campaign and led his transition team, then became one of his fiercest critics after the 2020 election and made opposing Trump the centerpiece of his failed 2024 run.

Whether Republican voters agree with him is another question. Trump remains president through January 2029 and still holds enormous influence within the GOP. Christie nevertheless believes the midterm verdict marks a political turning point.