Christie's exit is a notable twist in the closing days of campaigning before voting begins in the Republican primary starting with Iowa on Monday.
Ahead of his announcement at the town hall, the former governor was heard on a microphone -- apparently without realizing it -- saying that rival Nikki Haley was "gonna get smoked ... she's not up to this."
Christie also said that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another 2024 candidate, had called him and was "petrified.".
We couldn't have been any more -- any more direct or worked any harder," Christie was heard saying before his speech.
Christie led Trump's transition team and advised him while in office before eventually becoming one of Trump's most vocal detractors within the GOP.
In recent weeks, Christie resisted mounting chatter about him leaving the race as more polls indicated that it was former U.N.
Haley, Christie argued, had been too reluctant to directly attack Trump. »
