When former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie blasted Donald Trump for bragging about being “the apple of Vladimir Putin’s eye” he was applauded by the conservative audience at Erick Erickson’s The Gathering conference in Atlanta on Saturday.

Earlier this month, Christie visited the war-torn country of Ukraine and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky along with victims of the invasion. Christie is one of the few GOP candidates who has pledged to continue to aide Ukraine and support the country in it’s war against Russia.

“Just yesterday, Donald Trump [said] he was the apple of Putin’s eye,” Christie told  conservative radio host Erick Erickson at “The Gathering” conference on Saturday. “I have to tell you the truth, I don’t want to be the apple of Vladimir Putin’s eye.”

Christie’s remark was met with cheers from the audience where in the past Christie has been booed for attacking Trump at GOP political conferences.

“The Christie administration would stand up for our friends around the world and work with them,” he added. “We would expect friendship in return, but those are big things, consequential things.”

Trump has claimed in multiple interviews that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he was president, citing his positive relationship with the Russian strongman. Moreover, most of the leading candidates in the Republican primary support cutting aide to Ukraine and criticized President Joe Biden for working to expand NATO.

Watch the clip above via Erick Erickson and The First TV.

The post WATCH: Conservative Crowd Applauds as Christie Blasts Trump for Being ‘The Apple of Vladimir Putin’s Eye’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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