Chris Christie, a Trump critic shouting into the wind, is suspending his 2024 bid

Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey who made a taunting but futile attempt to wrest Republican voters from Donald J. Trump’s grasp, bowed to mounting pressure from his party on Wednesday and suspended his presidential campaign.

“It is clear to me tonight that there is no path for me to win the nomination, and that is why tonight I am suspending my campaign for President of the United States,” Mr. Christie said at an event in Windham, NH.

Mr. Christie’s departure was briefly overshadowed when he was caught on a hot microphone candidly discussing two rivals, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, before making the announcement.

“She’s going to smoke, and you and I both know it,” Mr. Christie was heard saying about Ms. Haley. “She’s not against this.” About Mr. DeSantis, he added: “DeSantis called me, petrified.”

Mr. Christie’s departure effectively ends a phase of the Republican presidential contest, removing from the field the most aggressive Trump opponent and the only prominent candidate who had argued that Mr. Trump was unfit for office — a claim that all but doomed his candidacy. get started.

This is a development story; check back for updates.