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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Good riddance. He was running on the backs of CIVIL RIGHTS of gay and lesbian American taxpayers. "I just don't feel right about it [marriage equality]." You can go jump off a bridge, Mr. Trump.
Thanks for wasting air time, Chump!
It was obvious that Trump was never going to run and that his antics were done purely to publicize his television show. I LOL at anyone that took his candidacy seriously. It's no wonder other countries look at Americans as a bunch of idiots.
Is he the new Charlie Sheen or something. Gives himself wayyy too much credit for things he knows nothing about.
Is this really breaking news? Does anyone really believe that this liar was really going to run for Prez? Three wives, several bankruptcies, openly admitting that he took advantage of every loop-hole to screw the government on tax breaks? Would have been a really great example for the young people to learn about "Doing what's right".
I'm here just to read the comments. Come on guys, we need more fun! Though the news is a joke by its own merit!
I could win if I wanted to... Couldn't we all.
Well, if I had, it would've been HUGE! I would have created Huge numbers of jobs. I would've made Huge amounts of money. Celebrity Apprentice "White House Edition" would have been HUGE!
Trump and Palin may not be "presidential" material but they are smart enough to know that P.T. Barnum was right. "There's a sucker born every minute." And there are enough suckers out there to pay them for the gibberish they write and spout.
Awwww....c'mon Donnie, say it ain't so! Who's going to be HALF as entertaining as you?? The late night talk show guys are truly crying. I guess there's still Sarah and Michelle. Maybe all is not lost...
"I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election."
Is he out of his mind...If he wants to take care of America let him take his "savvy business head" and his construction company to New Orleans and Mississippi and rebuild neighborhoods. Let him help the Americans who have given their "sweat and souls" to rebuilding Haiti.
Eniugh of his "gold guilded" Trump Towers in major cities around our country, and the "lush" golf courses for "all his friends " across Amerca!
He sure knows how to win friends around the world by not knowing when to keep his mouth shut and trying to be diplomatic!
Mr. Trump...stick to your reality show...this is all the coverage you deserve!
what a coincidence, the nation will continue to ignore Trumps opinions!
im shocked i tell you shocked.. also donald where is the shocking news about Obama's birth certificate ... Its real ?
I'll put this in the "Told Ya So" folder.
Can any of the above Obama supporters name one positive thing that's happened under his leadership besides using Bush intel to capture Bin Laden
Yes!!!! there is a GOD!!!! thank you Jesus!!
vet in texas
I like to personally thank all the followers who seriously considered Trump for president.
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And I would like to personally thank all of the followers who actually voted Obama into office for giving pretty much anyone the Republicans pick the likelihood of beating Obama in 2012. Come to think of it, I can't thank anyone for putting Obama in office. Yeah, it was historic and all so, " Hooray for us!", but now we need to get to work and clean up our financial and economic mess. We need to get serious about putting Americans back to work. After November, I believe voters are serious about getting that done and they know how to do it.
Another bomb throwing bully.
Wow....what a let down....I was so hoping this guy would both entertain us with his neanderthal mentality and server to derail a party that is basically trying really hard to find a candidate that can touch Obama....
The Republicans deprive us of another joke. I can see through this guy like water. The reason he's not running because he can't win.
Now that tears it!! With the Huckster and the Tramp, er, Trump gone, who in the GOP\TP is going to provide entertainment for us?
TRANSLATION: I'm broke, and not going to risk what little I have left after multiple bankruptcies to play this silly game.
We all knew that this JOKE would do it at the end.
He would have been subjected to a boatload of grief, and he wouldn't have won anyway.
How do you spell "DELUSIONAL"????
"I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election."
What a joke!!
He might actually need psychiatric help...