Trump not running for president
(CNN) - Real estate mogul and television celebrity Donald Trump, who generated a media publicity blitz by saying he might run for president in 2012, announced Monday that he will instead remain a businessman.
"After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the presidency," Trump said in a statement.
With his typical bravado, Trump maintained that he would have won the Republican primary and the general election, but recognized that "running for public office cannot be done half-heartedly."
"Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector," Trump said in the statement.
Trump's flirtation with running for the Republican nomination included his demand that President Barack Obama make public his full birth certificate from Hawaii.
Obama previously had provided a shorter version that serves as the public record in Hawaii, but amid the media glare on the issue raised in part by Trump's repeated questioning of whether the so-called long version of the document existed, the president released it last month.
At an NBC presentation of the network's fall line-up, Trump, star of "Celebrity Apprentice," said "NBC has been amazing. This will be our 12th season and I have to say I love 'Celebrity Apprentice.'"
"I will not be running for president as much as I'd like to," Trump added.
Full release:"After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the Presidency. This decision does not come easily or without regret; especially when my potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of the Republican contenders in polls across the country. I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election. I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector.
I want to personally thank the millions of Americans who have joined the various Trump grassroots movements and written me letters and e-mails encouraging me to run. My gratitude for your faith and trust in me could never be expressed properly in words. So, I make you this promise: that I will continue to voice my opinions loudly and help to shape our politician's thoughts. My ability to bring important economic and foreign policy issues to the forefront of the national dialogue is perhaps my greatest asset and one of the most valuable services I can provide to this country. I will continue to push our President and the country's policy makers to address the dire challenges arising from our unsustainable debt structure and increasing lack of global competitiveness. Issues, including getting tough on China and other countries that are methodically and systematically taking advantage of the United States, were seldom mentioned before I brought them to the forefront of the country's conversation. They are now being debated vigorously. I will also continue to push for job creation, an initiative that should be this country's top priority and something that I know a lot about. I will not shy away from expressing the opinions that so many of you share yet don't have a medium through which to articulate.
I look forward to supporting the candidate who is the most qualified to help us tackle our country's most important issues and am hopeful that, when this person emerges, he or she will have the courage to take on the challenges of the Office and be the agent of change that this country so desperately needs."
Thank you and God Bless America!
Donald J. Trump
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Thanks Trump for successfully making a big fool out of yourself!!!!!! You just made my day!!!!!!
You mean...it was all just a publicity stunt? Who would have guessed?
Yay!!! He got the publicity bump he wanted out of it, increasing the value of his "brand"...
What a stunner. This announcement had all the suspense of whether water runs uphill or downhill. It is too bad his loathsomeness had "decided" to drop out since he does truly represent everything the Republican party represents today.
Darn! Looks like we will just have Newt to kick around fro awhile! Unless, of course Mitch runs, Then the fun would really start!, drug arrests, divorce (which he said was "well known" here in Indiana BUT that was a LIE). Most people had NO IDEA his own wife divorced him and remarried him. What people will be really surprised to find out is that Mitch has basically privatized IN, we don't even own our toll road anymore, he sold it to a company that is based in Europe. He also just stopped funding for planned parenthood, privatized our food stamp program to where people have to starve to almost death to get an interview and then wait months to get help. He would appeal to the far right, far, far right. He also ran the Bush budget office and look at what a stellar job he did there. Yep, this will be fun!
"I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election."
Nice that he can punctuate his rare moment of clarity with one more HUGE LIE!
Nice!
BD
aw, now there will only be palin to divide the republican/independent vote
U're FIRED !!!!!!!! Oops!
All his yapping was just a publicity stunt anyhow. This man is fundamentally insecure (his body language speaks volumes) and he needs validation over and over to feel good about himself. He's a joke of a man, and his business practices with several bankruptcies have left a swath of losses for companies who were left empty-handed when he sought court protection from his creditors. If he can't run a business successfully, whatever would make anyone think he can run a country in dire need of revamping?
Obama trumped the Donald, first at the Press Club Dinner, then by announcing the death of bin Laden. Trump couldn't handle the heat. He's not such a big boy after all.
Awwww. I was looking forward to the comic relief – betw. him and Palin and the others – ya can't make it up!
YEPPER....who would have guest he would not run ? BTW i'm MESMERIZE by this guy's hair.
oh thank god!
Thank you Donald for dropping out....The world is a better place now...
hahhahahahhahahaha!! I was hoping that he would run. I would LOVE to see what came out of his closet.
Sorry it's been taking so long to get you my financial records. I've been too busy firing Meat Loaf and Lil John.
Can't stand the heat , get out of the kitchen. I knew he would not run and besides I'm a Democratic and the Repubs will never get my vote. Trump is a joke and he really needs a new hairdo. OMG, and I pray that Sarah Palin don't run, because that hillbillie is a joke too.
WELL DUH ! We always knew he would never run.He would have to expose the ponzi scheme that makes up the Trump "empire".
does this guy EVER not toot his own horn?
Donald could have 100 personal bankruptcies, and he would still say he's the best thing 'since sliced bread.'
the bald idiot was not going to run! He has perfected the art of selling himself using idiots
In 2016 he'll be back, "more serious than ever about running." Donald skip Donald skip Donald skip "Broken Record" Trump.
Of course he isn't running. He never had any intention to run. This guy is all about self-promotion...he does whatever he has to do to keep his name in the news. He's just like other rich losers: Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Spencer Pratt, etc. He's famous for doing absolutely nothing. He's a joke.
This is very shocking. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that he hasn't been able to locate a mental competent person in the United States who would vote for him.
On the bright side, this will free up some time for him to locate Nicole and Ron's real killer in OJ's absence...
but as impressed with how vile you are.
They failed to include these oficial remarks:
"I would like to personally thank my favorite inspritational coach and mentor, myself, for all of the effective and helpful advice I provided for me along the way. Additionally, I am grateful for the accurate nad honest feedback regarding my popularity and potential viability as a candidate which I received from myself. I was instrumental in making myself convince myself that I am an excellent candidate. Finally, a word of thanks to my ego, for eating my brain..."