Former aides say Christie made the decision after Trump courted him extensively, asking him frequently to endorse. Christie was angry with the other candidates and frustrated with the whole ordeal of running. “Trump worked him harder than anyone else in trying to get it. He called him repeatedly,” DuHaime said.

DuHaime said Christie called him the night Trump won South Carolina. The two men agreed the billionaire developer would be the nominee—so Christie decided to endorse.

“The right thing for him to do was to endorse Trump at the time. That is not what I wanted to do for myself, so I didn’t go work for him,” DuHaime said.

Some aides and allies say he endorsed early in hopes of getting a plum job if Trump won. Christie denied that.