Overview
- Appearing on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Christie said Republicans tell him off-camera that Trump is "nuts" before lauding him on television.
- Pressed for specifics, Christie named Sen. Lindsey Graham as someone who privately criticizes Trump despite public praise.
- Graham excoriated Trump during the 2015–2016 primary, calling him a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot" and "unfit for office."
- After Trump's 2016 victory, Graham became a close Senate ally, and by 2025 their relationship appeared restored with a reelection endorsement and Mar-a-Lago appearances.
- The Mirror reports separate GOP tension over Trump's tariffs on Canada, with some House Republicans signaling they could support a measure to block them.