NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – As he considers a White House run, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s third trip abroad in recent months provides an opportunity to build his foreign policy resume and test whether he has the temperament for the world stage.
Officially, the trip to London that begins Sunday – and includes a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron – is a trade mission to strengthen ties with the United Kingdom, the state’s third-largest foreign trading partner, with $7 billion in goods exchanged each year.
“One of the main objectives of this trip is to focus on the opportunities that exist between the United Kingdom and New Jersey and our country as a whole,” Christie told reporters in a conference call before departing.
With the 2016 election looming, Christie has been studying up on foreign policy, learning from some of the most respected experts in the Republican Party. Like other governors, he has little day-to-day experience in foreign matters and has so far been reluctant to discuss his views on specific threats or share his own policy ideas, beyond criticizing those of President Barack Obama.
In September, Christie traveled to Mexico and in December to Canada, where he delivered speeches about North American trade and the benefits of domestic energy production. Such trips have given Christie the chance to appear with foreign leaders and begin to sketch out his foreign policy priorities, including a focus on building ties across North America.