TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie insisted a day after he had lunch with President Donald Trump at the White House that there was absolutely no discussion with the president about taking a job in the new administration.
The governor, speaking at a bill signing event related to the state’s opioid crisis on Wednesday, pushed back against published reports that suggested Christie may be offered a national role to combat drug abuse across the nation.
“Let me be very clear, (the talks) did not include any discussion of me joining the Trump administration in some type of drug abuse role,” Christie said.
He cited, for example, the positions of drug czar for the Office of National Drug Policy Control, or, as he put, “God forbid the surgeon general” as possible jobs that would allow him to continue his work fighting drug addiction.
No job offer at Trump-Christie lunch
But Christie insisted there were no such talks or jobs offered, or any interest for him to occupy any of those posts.
“We did not talk about a job directly related to or indirectly related to the drug issue,” he said. “I talked to him about what we were doing here.”
Christie added: “There was no discussion about a job that would necessitate me leaving.”
Christie and First Lady Mary Pat spent three hours at the White House, the governor said. The two had been invited for an hourlong lunch with the president. But Christie said on Wednesday he and his wife spent more time Trump in what he called “a great day.”
The White House announced after the lunch that the discussion centered on “combating drug use” in the U.S.
Citing an unnamed senior aide in the administration, CNN reported none of the conversation centered on Christie being considered for a job in the White House.
“There was zero, I repeat zero, conversation about that,” the aide told the cable news network. “The only thing he may do is head up a commission to investigate the opioid crisis.”
A source familiar with the situation told NJ Advance Media Tuesday it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Christie could head a federal commission tackling the epidemic. But the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, couldn’t immediately confirm whether the specifics of such a role were discussed.
Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook.
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