Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie predicted that former President Donald Trump will sign the Republican National Committee’s loyalty pledge to qualify for this month’s debate, even though the former president has claimed he won’t.
The RNC has made its pledge a requirement for candidates to take part in the first GOP primary debate on Aug. 23. The pledge commits candidates to support the Republican Party’s eventual 2024 nominee.
The former New Jersey governor, on ABC’s “This Week,” told host Jon Karl that he believes the RNC will keep Trump out of the debate if he doesn’t sign the pledge.
“We don’t know how much he would have respected the loyalty pledge, even after having signed it,” said Christie, who noted Trump’s refusal to sign a similar pledge in 2016.
“So, look, I think this is all kind of nonsensical theater. I’ve made that clear to the RNC as well, way back, even before I entered the race, that I thought the pledge was a bad idea. And Donald Trump is now playing that game, but that’s what he does. You know this, Jon. He plays misdirection all the time.”
Christie, who has previously expressed concern over the requirement, told Karl that he hasn’t been presented with the loyalty pledge, but expects to see it “at some point” in the next week.
Several candidates have signed the pledge, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Trump, who indicated he’ll make an announcement on the loyalty pledge this week, pushed back at the requirement in a recent Newsmax interview, noting there were “three to four people” in the race he wouldn’t support.
Christie told Karl that he wouldn’t be “the least bit surprised” if Trump signs the loyalty pledge just days ahead of the debate.
“He might not, also, but I would not be the least surprised if he did,” Christie said.
“This is about Donald Trump keeping the attention on Donald Trump. And he’s doing pretty well, because in the first question this morning we’re talking about him and that’s what he likes.”
Watch Christie on “This Week” below.