Two-time GOP presidential candidate and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Sunday criticized President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance for their handling of the Iran war and negotiations during his appearance on ABC News This Week.
Christie said of the President: “He stopped the war early, got cornered when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, and cut a deal: a $300 billion bribe, unfrozen assets, and their oil profits back, which is about $35-50 billion a year.”
Christie also criticized Trump for making Vance “the face” of the U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland, with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan this weekend.
Christie said of Trump: “He handed negotiations to a naive and inexperienced Vice President and two other guys who’d be better off buying you an office building in Alexandria than this.”
[NOTE: The “guys” Christie is referring to are real estate billionaires Steve Witkoff (Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East) and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.]
President Trump has gone from America First to Iran First.
He stopped the war early, got cornered when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, and cut a deal: a $300 billion bribe, unfrozen assets, and their oil profits back. Then he handed negotiations to a naive Vice President and… pic.twitter.com/iKnYNIcAZS
— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) June 21, 2026
Indian journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, Senior Executive Editor for National Security and Strategic Affairs at NDTV (New Delhi Television), also criticized Vance for praising and positioning Pakistan as a key intermediary in the negotiations.
As seen in the clip below, at the summit in Switzerland, Vance said: “I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life. An Indian and a Pakistani. The Indian is my wife, and the Pakistani is Field Marshal Munir.” (Munir is Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also attended the negotiations.)
Kaul added: “Americans are going to regret this statement so badly one day.”
Americans are going to regret this statement so badly one day.
JD Vance says:
“I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life. An Indian and a Pakistani. The Indian is my wife, and the Pakistani is Field Marshal Munir.” pic.twitter.com/0uEmpGg1vw
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) June 21, 2026
[NOTE: NBC News reported Sunday from Switzerland: “Technical talks are set to continue for the rest of the week over nuclear issues, sanctions and dispute resolution as negotiators agreed on a road map for a final deal within 60 days.” Vance said progress was made during the first meetings, which he said included the divisive topic of Iran’s nuclear program.]