NEW YORK • Her husband may be Mr Donald Trump's avid supporter. But Mrs Mary Christie appears to have misgivings.

The wife of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie attracted a lot of attention on Tuesday for appearing to roll her eyes while standing on stage behind the Republican front runner, American media reported.

Mr Christie, a former Republican candidate, bowed out of the race in February and became a Trump supporter.

Mrs Christie wore a look of stoicism throughout much of Mr Trump's victory speech. Until, suddenly, she was not, seeming to betray a combination of bewilderment and dismay that instantly went viral on social media, the New York Times reported.

It happened after Mr Trump said that the only reason Mrs Hillary Clinton was winning was because of her gender.

"The only card she has is the woman's card," he said. "If Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she would get 5 per cent of the vote."

Mrs Christie's expressions immediately changed. She slowly turned her head towards her husband, appeared to roll her eyes in disapproval and smirked slightly. Then she looked down at the ground.