Christie: 'I wasn't being held hostage' at Trump event

How Chris Christie's hostage face stole the show
Chris Christie stare donald trump president pkg moos erin_00004429

    JUST WATCHED

    How Chris Christie's hostage face stole the show

MUST WATCH

How Chris Christie's hostage face stole the show 01:56

Story highlights

  • Christie dismisses jokes about his demeanor at Trump's Super Tuesday press conference
  • Christie says he endorsed Trump because he is "best person" to beat Hillary Clinton; doesn't regret it

(CNN)Chris Christie on Thursday insisted the lengthy blank stare he wore throughout Donald Trump's Super Tuesday press conference was symbolic only of the fact he was listening intently to the billionaire's speech.

"No, I wasn't being held hostage. No, I wasn't sitting up there thinking, 'Oh, my God, what have I done?'" the New Jersey governor told reporters in Trenton.
    "It wasn't the kind of circumstance where I'd be jumping up and down, cheering and smiling," Christie said. "(Trump) was answering questions from the national press corps and I was listening."
      The video of Christie taking in Trump's remarks drew laughter and some derision across social media, where the hashtag #FreeChrisChristie took flight, along with suggestions that the governor had come to regret his decision to back the GOP front-runner.
        "All these armchair psychiatrists should give it a break," Christie said on Thursday. "I was standing up there, supporting the person who I believe is the best person to beat Hillary Clinton of the remaining Republican candidates. It's why I endorsed him."
        "I wasn't upset, I wasn't angry, I wasn't despondent," he continued, "I wasn't anything other than happy that we had done as well as we had done that night and listening to someone give a press conference in front of the national press corps."
          Christie has been the subject of severe criticism, from political allies and his home state press, since announcing last week he would support and occasionally stump with Trump.
          On Tuesday, six Gannett-owned newspapers, including the Asbury Park Press and Cherry Hill Courier-Post, wrote in a joint editorial that Christie should step down or be recalled from office.
          "We're fed up with Gov. Chris Christie's arrogance," they wrote. "We're fed up with his opportunism. We're fed up with his hypocrisy."
            On Thursday, Christie lumped the response to his facial expressions in with the broader backlash, calling it "part of the hysteria of people who oppose my Trump endorsement."
            "They want to read anything into it that can be negative. That's fine, I understand that, I could care less."