New Jersey governor says he will ‘fight to the death’ against Trump’s actions ‘contrary to values’

In a Q&A following New Jersey governor Phil Murphy warned that he will “fight to the death” against the administration if he finds behavior “contrary to our values.”

“(A)f we respect the peaceful transition of power, if there is an attack on the Garden State or any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being,” Murphy said.

“If there is an opportunity for common ground, we will seize it as quickly as anyone,” he added conversely.

State Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Hackettstown, told Fox News Digital that Murphy is “missing the message” voters sent Tuesday with the initial rhetoric.

“It’s time for the governor to recognize that his values ​​may not reflect the values ​​of New Jerseyans as broadly as he assumes,” he said.

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“While Murphy is prepared to spend resources on political battles with Trump, it’s hard to see how that aligns with the priorities of struggling families, working taxpayers and business owners who want more focus on their needs,” DiMaio said.

Murphy, who will begin his senior year in Trenton after Trump is inaugurated, credited Trump with his “uncanny ability to connect with people even if it’s not in their best interest” after the Republican was famously close to taking the blue bastion.

While Murphy dismissed a reporter’s query about New Jersey being up for grabs in the future, he commented that Trump only lost it by 4% compared to 16% in 2020.

“I don’t believe we’re a swing state,” he said, adding that outside of Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s victory along the Route 22 corridor, he was pleased with the down-ballot results. Kean is a Republican.

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He pointed to Republicans’ success in communicating messages about the immigration crisis, adding the caveat that their winning rhetoric may not match the facts on the ground.

Trump won Passaic County, an ethnically diverse New York City suburb, but running on downvoted ballots skewed Democrats. Murphy pointed to that as an example of voters choosing Trump personally rather than Republicans writ large.

He suggested the same was true in North Carolina, noting that Trump won the state but Democratic Attorney General Joshua Stein was elected governor.

“Just as it is our responsibility to continue to stand up against any threat to our state or our people, it is also our responsibility to take every opportunity that presents itself to work with (Trump) to protect and uplift the people of our state. because that’s what responsible leaders do,” Murphy added.

He also credited Trump for quickly approving the new Portal North Railroad Bridge in Secaucus and helping during the coronavirus pandemic.

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As for responding to Trump’s governance, Murphy said that during the last administration, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly conducted raids in search of illegal immigrants, he took a creative tack.

“There was a time when ICE would just randomly show up on street corners and apprehend … brothers and sisters from the immigrant community,” Murphy said.

The governor, who lives in Middletown Township near Sandy Hook, said he heard an “area near where I live was at risk.”

“I just went there one night with my (security) detail and just hung out there,” he said, noting that ICE then didn’t show up.

“Whether it scared them or not, I don’t know, but it’s an example of a small step that we’re willing to try anything if it’s against our values.”

As the 2025 gubernatorial race to replace him heats up, Murphy said his three-point victory in 2021 may have been the “canary in the coal mine” for Democrats in the state to gauge the political landscape.