Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced Monday that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) would serve as the chairman of his transition team.
“Governor Christie is an extremely knowledgeable and loyal person with the tools and resources to put together an unparalleled Transition Team, one that will be prepared to take over the White House when we win in November,” Trump said in a statement. “I am grateful to Governor Christie for his contributions to this movement.”
Christie was one of the first elected Republican officials to endorse Trump, who became the party’s presumptive nominee after winning the Indiana primary last week in a landslide.
While many Republicans have yet to coalesce behind his candidacy, Trump framed the general election as a done deal, twice referring to his imminent plan to “take over the White House.”
Trump also declined to mention Democratic opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) by name, saying only that he was ready to face off against “potential Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, or whoever.”
Read the full statement below:
(New York, NY) May 9, 2016 – Today Donald J. Trump announced Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) will serve as Transition Team Chairman. Mr. Trump is the presumptive Presidential nominee for the Republican Party and continues to take critical steps to gear up for the general election against potential Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, or whoever.
Mr. Trump stated, “Governor Christie is an extremely knowledgeable and loyal person with the tools and resources to put together an unparalleled Transition Team, one that will be prepared to take over the White House when we win in November. I am grateful to Governor Christie for his contributions to this movement.”
Governor Chris Christie will serve as Transition Team Chairman, overseeing an extensive team of professionals preparing to take over the White House, and all that entails, in the fall. Governor Christie has been a loyal supporter and confidant to Mr. Trump and the campaign. He has been entrusted to oversee this important task with the goal to implement this team in an official capacity in November.
Governor Christie said, “I am honored by the confidence being placed in me by Mr. Trump and look forward to putting together a first rate team to assemble an administration to help best serve the President-elect and the nation.”
Mr. Trump has begun shifting towards a general election strategy and implementing an infrastructure capable of securing a victory including making key hires, building a finance operation to benefit the Republican Party and unifying the party by working with several Republican leaders now voicing their support for Mr. Trump and his candidacy.
