(CNN)– Now that President Barack Obama has released his long-form birth certificate, real estate mogul and possible presidential candidate Donald Trump is ready for other issues–one of them apparently whether he will pay the investigators he sent to Hawaii to look into the place of Obama's birth.
In an interview airing Wednesday on CNN's "John King, USA," Trump asserted, "I don't make up anything," when asked about his earlier claims that Obama's birth certificate could be missing. Still, he is undecided about paying for the sleuths he sent to Hawaii to investigate the issue.
"Would I pay them? I don't know," he said. "I can say this, let me just tell you, I don't make up anything…I have done a great service to the American people."
When pressed on his role in stirring up birther controversy by CNN's Chief National Correspondent John King, Trump downplayed his actions by saying he didn't understand why President Obama didn't release his birth certificate earlier. "I heard everyone wanted to see it and I was the only one that got him to do it," he said.
"Every time I sit down with the press all they want to talk about is the birth certificate and I got him to do something that nobody else could get him to do and I take great credit for that."
Trump responded to the president's motivation for releasing his long form birth certificate as a way to end "silliness" by saying, "We have a president that's incompetent…I am a very serious person. I am a person that has made great wealth."
Trump, currently in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire for several appearances, says he hasn't seen the long-form birth certificate but now hopes "a lot of experts will analyze it."
He indicated that he's ready to move on to other issues, since the place of the president's birth is no longer in question, and affirmed that he's ready to focus on other subjects "like China ripping us off."
"I'm really happy that we can finally get on to that subject because that's my strength," he said. "Jobs, the economy, getting OPEC to behave. We have all the power…they don't respect our leadership," he continued.
If there were any doubt on which ticket Trump would run, if he decides to run for president, given his history of cozying up to the reform party in 1999, and later saying the Republicans are too crazy, and the Democrats are too liberal, Trump settled the question.
"I'm looking to run as a Republican."
"I'm doing great in the polls, you know why?" he continued. "Because people in New Hampshire as well as people in the country don't want to be ripped off by a nation that does business with us."
"Our leader is incompetent, and people want to see a change and that's why I'm doing it."
Trump has convinced at least one key GOP operative that he's not taking a potential bid for the presidency lightly. In an interview with King, Jack Kimball, chairman of the New Hampshire state Republican Party, said he believes Trump's visit to the state is an indication that he's serious about running.
"Just his appearance here today I think is ominous," he said. "I think he wouldn't have bothered to come here if he wasn't taking the next most serious step toward that decision."
From CNN Politics
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trump didnt do anything,,,,,, what a narcissist.
Trump, in my book, you are king of trolls. Retarded beyond belief. Do us a favor and fire yourself.
Donald T Rump is a legend in his own mind.
Once an idiot, always an idiot, I guess. The club is growing.
go away Donald Trump. You are a joke.
Oh just shut up! Rug-head! Use some of that money to get a decent toupee.
Trump, you got played son.
Is Trump really from this planet, as he claims he is? I really see some things that make me wonder, and I have people looking into it, and I think you're going to be very interested in what we reveal, but now is not the appropriate time to show what we're discovering...
This is what we have come to as Americans and our Presidential candidates.
I've really had it w/this egomaniac! He so full of it.
incedible!!!!!!what a full!!!!!
mr unique BS king
Make a note I am a registered republica,and I am a shame of this kind of crooks
what
a
tool.
Except that his campaign released that in 2008....
Interesting when will this self-aggrandizing blowhard take full "credit" for the number of bankruptcies he has filed, personally and professionally? Also when will this loon produce his own long form birth certificate? Maybe it's lost between all those divorce decrees.
Donald Trump is dangerous. He is single handedly making the Republican Party irrelevant. He is deliberately threatening our party system of governance. Wow – amazing, the tea baggers are swallowing his conspiracy rants about "missing" birth certificates to somehow justify their ignorant bigotry. America will be “fundamentally” changed – God bless you – God bless the United States of America.
It was a stupid question to ask to begin with. It is a slap on the face of Trump and alike. How could he think he has done something great? Don't people have better things to do?
Me, Myself and I. Me, Me, Me. I love myself. I am very proud of myself.... I have done what no man has done before.
The American people owe me.
So even though we owe China over a trillion dollars, we are in the position of power according to Trump? No wonder this clown has had more bankruptcies than he's had extra-marital affairs. I REALLY hope this guy is the GOP candidate.
SO now you will go away, or more " I dont make up anything" on the way?
Media and journalists he highjack you and made us his victims, PLEASE PLEASE Stop all of this.
Mr. Trump has insulted our intelligence and I don't appreciate that.
Donald Trump is an idiot. I usually keep my opinions to myself or between a small group of friends. Who the hell does he think he is? President Obama has more intelligence in his little toe than "The Donald" has in his entire body! He has no idea how much he is hurting African Americans. We are always accused of being a product of affirmative action whether it is the truth or not. Mr. Obama was president of the law review. I tend to think he got that on merit. Trump got his through nepotism-whatever "his" is. He needs to go to a corner and sit down. I have lost all respect for him and I am losing respect for NBC. I think requesting sponsors to boycott his show is the next thing we should do. This man has disrespected the American President.. He should not be rewarded for his disrespectful tirades. I for one will never watch his show again and ask my friends to do the same.
This will not get posted but as a service Trump should just shut up and go back to his little hole. He is a nothing and if anyone would think of voting for him for a dog catcher they should be questioned for be insane.
BS Trump!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
get over yourself.
This was quite simply disrespectful of our President. Trump and all of these people who would not accept the Certificate of Live Birth just showed themselves to be children, immature beyond acceptance. That certificate is a legally binding document. Case closed. They should all be ashamed of themselves, but they are too ignorant and immature to evoke that emotion. All of these 'birthers' disrespected our Commander in Chief and the state of Hawaii, and all of it's residence, who all share that same certificate of proof that they were born in the United States.
These people are unpatriotic, and, worse, probably bigots. Disgusting. Do you also think Armstrong, Collins, and Aldrin, Jr. never landed on the moon? Do you believe Paul McCartney really is dead? The Earth is flat?