Chris Christie May Get A Job From Donald Trump After All

Gov. Chris Christie may be able to start making his post-gubernatorial plans after all.

Although Christie has said he plans to finish his term, the unpopular governor may eventually land a position in the new administration, President-elect Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal.

“At some point we’re going to do something with Chris,” Trump told the Journal, adding: “Don’t forget, we have a lot of positions."

A Christie spokesman didn't immediately respond to an email asking for comment.

It's been anybody's guess whether Christie has had any real shot of landing a job in the administration and whether he really wants to take one. Last month, an NJ Advance Media report said Trump had offered Christie at least three positions in his new administration. But he turned them all down.

Those jobs included Homeland Security secretary and Veterans Affairs secretary, as well as U.S. ambassador to Italy, according to the report.

Christie reportedly really wanted to become U.S. attorney general — which was awarded to Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions. Then he strongly pushed for chairman of the Republican National Committee, but he didn't get that either.

In the Wall Street Journal report, Trump offered hope for Christie that he could leave New Jersey where his approval rating is at a historically low 18 percent.

"There are a lot of positions, and the positions come up again. Because when they’re filled, somebody stays for eight years, somebody stays for two years, you never know. But we’ll be involved with Chris. Chris is a friend of mine. Chris is a great guy,” Trump told the Journal.

Christie has been dogged by the "Bridgegate" George Washington Bridge lane-closing political payback scheme, and he could be appearing in the coming weeks to respond to a citizen's complaint of official misconduct in connection with the scandal.

Even with these personal crises, Christie has campaigned heavily for the RNC job, according to NJ Advance Media, but he and Trump last month came to the decision mutually to remove the governor from consideration.

Just days after announcing during a press conference last week that he's "not going anywhere," Politico reported that Christie had engaged in a "full-court press" with senior members of Trump's presidential transition team in hopes of getting the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.

He would have succeeded Reince Priebus, who is leaving the chairmanship to serve as Trump's chief of staff.

During a press conference about a month ago, Christie practically ended speculation that he would be leaving office to serve in the Trump administration, telling a press gathering: "I am not going anywhere."

"For those of you looking forward to me leaving before January 2018, sorry to disappoint you," the governor told the press gathering (see video below), where he took no questions.

Christie, however, made the announcement after a list of grievances and failures regarding his leadership performance were made public, possibly dooming his chances in the Trump administration, according to an expansive New York Times analysis.

Christie already lost his job as Trump's transition chairman in November, and some of his appointments drew criticism from people outside and inside Trump's inner circle. Christie also met with Trump for about 20 minutes last week in what was viewed as one of the shortest transition meetings Trump has had.

Read more: Christie's Chances With Trump May Be Doomed: List of Grievances, Failures Reported

"Bridgegate" troubles have also resurfaced. Christie has agreed to appear in court after getting a criminal summons for official misconduct allegations connected to the scandal, according to court documents.

Here is a video of the press conference:

Patch file photo