Gov. Phil Murphy had little patience for those who questioned whether he should be making economic mission trips in the final months of his administration — queries that were amplified when the state was engulfed in massive wildfires just days into his trip to Europe and the Middle East.
The trips bring jobs and investment — now and moving forward, the governor said. And, due to a cell phone he’s attached to every waking hour, the governor said he’s always up to date on the state.
“The notion that, because we’re out of state, we’re checked out and we’re not paying attention could not be further from the truth,” he said. “We remain all over New Jersey, no matter where we are.”
Murphy, speaking to BINJE from Dubai on the final day of the trip, said the economic mission to Saudia Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates — his 13th such mission as governor — was as impactful and productive as any of his previous trips.
“I think folks may not understand or appreciate how well New Jersey plays internationally, and how significant the job creation and investment opportunity is on a trip like this,” he said. “If you stay at home and you don’t come here and show respect by sitting across the table, you probably don’t get those jobs. You probably don’t get that investment.”
Murphy spent time in the three Gulf Arab States after spending a few days in Poland and Germany.
It was during the time in Poland and Germany that the fires were causing the most damage. So much so, Murphy said, that he gave thought to “making a U-turn and going home.”
The assessment he got from his team back in the state was that he should remain out of state.
But it was hardly out-of-sight, out-of-mind, Murphy said.
“We’ve got an acting governor (Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way) who’s doing a great job, but the fact of the matter is, I was intensely involved in the management of New Jersey during that fire last week,” he said. “That was 24/7.”
Murphy did not address the critique that the trip was “a waste” of taxpayer money for one simple reason: No taxpayer money was involved.
As has been the case on all of Murphy’s economic mission trips, it was funded and sponsored by Choose New Jersey.
Future economic mission trips to Israel, India and Mexico appear to be likely before the year is out.
