(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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Before Donald Trump gets too far into a possbile presidential race, I want to see the long form of HIS birth certificate.
Yes, you've done a great service to the American People by providing comedic relieves. We're laughing at you right now!
He did a great service by showing us how stupid he is.
Thank you Mr. Trump for pressing this issue. I believe we as Americans have a RIGHT to know if our President is legit or not. Thank you, thank you.......you have my vote in 2012.
wow, what a circus.... John King is holding up a copy of the short form, you can see that the title is "Certificate of Live Birth", which is the same form that has been out there forever. Trump says "I haven't seen it", he is referring to the long form that is now supposedly revealed. Does John say "here it is! look at it!" ? NO, because not everybody GETS to look at it apparently. I can understand this being the rule in general (protecting privacy), but in this case, and for all politicians, as we all know, regular privacy rules DON'T apply (and for good reason). .... I have long considered Trump to be not much more than an entertainer, but now I have to say either he's a real sleaze or a very slick undercover liberal sabotaging the right (I don't mind, he's only sabotaging the stupid extremity, both right and left could do with some amputation of the extremities!)... This is all just too good to see it end.
I just want you to know John King, I boycotted your show and had all my facebook friends to do the same. Keep interviewing this racist and see how lower your ratings will go.
I no longer have respect for Donald, what a clown, he has no knowledge of what he speaks! He can never be president, he would stand no chance! All he does is admire and flatter himself by saying: "I am HONORED, I am PROUD".
He is making a fool out of himself in public, in my eyes he is no longer Mr. Trump, rather just Donald. I am sorry Donald, I am not impressed!
Just another pompous fool trumpeting being lifted by the strength of his own petard thinking it qualifies him to be President. In my opinion falling for the birther nonsense should automatically disqualify him on the grounds of stupidity.
This is the saddest day in my whole entire life as an American...Donald Trump has given us a huge service by wasting the time of many government employees in order to prove something that had been presented over and over. These "birthers" will never be happy with any evidence presented which is stupid. All of this effort could be used to do important things like having congress work on a real budget and fixing our social programs
He is a clown...incredible that his level is that low. US dosen't need a reality star to run anything. We need him where we can turn him off.... not in the office.
You have to remember Trump is and always will be an ENTERTAINER only......he offers nothing else but HOT air
This John King only gets tough with intelligent people. He was too soft on Donald the clown. I am not surprise if he ends up working for the Donald some day. It is shameful the way he let this clown getaway without asking him tough questions.I guess these reporters are reluctant to go on the attack with people looking like them. What else can I think? I have no respect for either him or the Donald. You disrepsect the president and that does it for me. I will no longger watch his show and neither have watched or will watch the clown's so called the apprentice TV show,
Please – a favor? I'm a republican, never bought this "birther" nonsense, and think Trump is making himself look like a real idiot. Granted, Obama should have just handed over a copy of that stupid document. He brought a lot of this on himself, making himself look suspicious, but still the completely moronic idea that someone in government doesn't have the IQ to make sure someone is really an American citizen is beyond ridiculous.
The only way DT could do Americans a favor would be if he would turn around and crawl back into the hole he came from. I strongly urge people to boycott his show, nbc and his sponsors. Let's show DT that Americans are not racists and certainly have a respect for our President. What a poor excuse for an American. PS: all you folks who think he is the "ultimate business"should review his bankruptcies. He is a shameful excuse for a human being.
This guy is the biggest BLOWHARD in the history of the world.
This might be Trump's proudest (and only) achievement. But he lacks the guts to run for President all the way to the GOP convention. He even lacks the guts to release his tax returns, which he had suggested on ABC News last Sunday that he would release if Obama released his birth certificate. Obama came through. But Trump isn't putting up or shutting up. He is a gifted self-promoter, but he is worth far less than people think and is not even one of the 1,000 richest Americans right now. He lost a lot of money in the real estate crash and stock market crash of 2008-2009. And casinos bearing his name have gone bankrupt, as anyone who reads the news is aware. He offers no solutions for America's problems, has no experience holding political office of any kind, and he is a complete novice when it comes to congressional politics, foreign policy, national defense, and balancing the federal budget. His personal life has featured failed relationships. When he quits the quest for the presidency, he will show himself to be the phony, festering pile of hypocrisy that he has always been.
What a complete clown..... I hope he runs!
But when did, and why should, Obama and all the American people buy into the paradigm of Obama having to 'report' to Trump?
what an egotistcal,self-absorbed,bullying blowhard who is experiencing an identity crisis. it must be lonely in that head of his. i think donald needs to get a new writer;his comdey material is getting stale.
Oh my, Donald Rump is Delusional! How is anyone better by proving what any reasonable person knew already. Sorry Rump, your ride is over, watch your poll numbers plummet!
Trump is just a publicity seeking loser. Just look at that thing on his head.
PLEASE stop airing this racist, hateful, anti-gay, self-promoting jerk. The birthers, no matter what anyone proves, will always spew their hatred because the bottom line is that they are racist. Can we stop airing these jerks now? Do I really need to stop watching CNN?
What a tool. If you like Trump, get a brain.
Trump is stupid. He has done some hardcore mental gymnastics with this issue.
He went on air with O'Reilly saying he thinks Obama wasn't American. Obama proves it; Trump acts like he was never wrong.
I am glad Obama released his BC, now the birthers will have to find something else, further adding to the public concscious of how truly stupid they are. Also,I am very glad Trump is running...he's taking all the attention from real any real Republican candidate. Honestly, I think it's his plan...Regardless, win for Democrats!
I can't imagine an ego this big. The guy takes credit for forcing Obama to show his birth certificate?