Republican presidential candidates at the ongoing GOP debate were asked to raise their hands when asked if they would back former President Donald Trump if he were to become the party's nominee—even if he were to be found guilty in a legal proceeding, CNN reported.
"You all signed a pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee. If former president Trump is convicted in a court of law, would you still support him as your party's choice? Please raise your hand if you would," Fox News moderator Brett Baier asked.
Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Mike Pence, Doug Burgum and Chris Christie were among those who raised their hands, while former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson did not.
Christie, who has criticised the former president, was the last person in the group to raise his hand, and he was questioned about it, according to CNN.
"Just to be clear, Governor Christie, you were late to the game," Baier said.
"I am doing this. Not this," Christie said swiping his hand.
"Here is the bottom line. Someone's got to stop normalizing this conduct. OK... Whether or not you believe the criminal charges are right or wrong, the conduct is beneath the office of president of the United States," Christie added.
Responding to booing from the crowd, "This is the great thing about this country, booing is allowed but it doesn't change the truth."
Meanwhile, slamming Christie’s answer, Vivek Ramaswamy came out in Trump’s defence, calling him “the best president of the 21st century,” as reported by CNN.
The question on Trump was raised nearly an hour into the debate on Fox News.
Trump is accused of 91 crimes in four indictments. He was indicted by a federal grand jury this month as part of the special counsel's inquiry into the fallout from the 2020 election, and he was then arraigned in a courthouse in Washington, DC, where he entered a not guilty plea.
Later on in the month, Trump and 18 allies were charged with attempting to overturn the Georgia 2020 election in their favour. By this Friday, he and the co-defendants have to turn themselves in to the Fulton County jail, reported CNN.
In June, he also entered a not guilty plea to a large number of federal offences connected to the special counsel's investigation into mishandling of classified documents.
A Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump for his alleged involvement in the hush money payment to an adult film star. A current or former president was legally charged for the first time in American history at that time, an occurrence that has since been repeated three more times this summer.
In all matters, both state and federal, Trump vigorously maintains his innocence and rejects any misconduct or illegal activity, CNN reported.
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