Christie: Expect Trump to ask for ‘billions’ to fight opioid epidemic

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said in a Sunday interview that he expects President Trump to first ask for “billions” of dollars to fight the opioid epidemic.

“I think it’s going to be the subject of negotiation with Congress,” Christie told ABC’s “This Week.”

{mosads}The comment from Christie, who heads Trump’s opioid commission, comes after the president on Thursday declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency.

“And so I think the president has got to sit down with Congress now and Congress has to put this money in,” Christie added. “The public health emergency fund has only $57,000 in it. So, it’s time to fund that.”

Christie, who has made the opioid issue a central focus of the end of his gubernatorial term, called on Congress to “get appropriating” the funds needed to fight the epidemic.

Trump in his Thursday announcement called for American communities to be freed “from this scourge of drug addiction.” 

“We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic. We can do it,” he said.

Critics of Trump’s Thursday declaration have said they wished it included a funding ask to Congress.