• Former Gov. Chris Christie needled Trump over the ex-president’s desire to “debate” Megan Markle.
• Christie told CNN there is “no interest” in Trump and Markle having a debate “about anything.”
• Trump, who has criticized Markle, has long had a fascination with the British royal family.

Former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey on Friday mocked former President Donald Trump for stating that he’d “love to debate” Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, pointing to the ex-president’s refusal to attend the first Republican presidential debate.

Christie, who’s competing alongside Trump for the GOP nomination, didn’t hold back in questioning the former president’s priorities.

“Donald Trump wants to debate Meghan Markle but not his opponents? What a joke,” Christie wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “I’m sure they’d have a great debate on Spotify.” 

“Keep me on the stage for when the coward finally shows up to debate me,” he added, before linking to a campaign donation page.

Trump, who has long been enamored with the British monarchy, criticized Markle during a Wednesday interview on the “The Hugh Hewitt Show.”

“I didn’t like the way she dealt with the Queen,” Trump said of Markle. “I became very friendly with the Queen. She was an incredible woman at 95. She was so sharp. She was 100 percent.”

“They treated her with great disrespect and I didn’t like it,” he continued.

Trump then remarked on the possibility of arranging a debate with Markle.

“I’d love to debate her. I would love it,” the former president told Hewitt.

Christie, who has been able to make some political headway with New Hampshire Republicans in recent weeks, went on to needle Trump over his comments once more.

“He says so many ridiculous things,” Christie told CNN journalist Dana Bash in a recent interview. “I think there is absolutely no interest in either Donald Trump or Meghan Markle debating about anything.”

“If people really want to have the real issues that are concerning their lives, like inflation, our role around the world, a troubled education system, crime and law and order in our cities, debated — we need to have serious candidates on that stage,” he added.

Christie, a one-time ally of Trump, has become one of his most vocal critics in the GOP primary.