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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Tried to get a guy at work to bet me one hundred dollars when he said Trump would be the next President,but he balked.I wish that he'd have taken that bet!Trump is a fool and would have never been anything without his fathers money.
Didn't he promise to release his financials when Obama released his Birth Certificate (you know – the original copy – not the LEGAL one he had released long before....)
Hmmm.... seems Mr. Trump is not only a fool, but a liar as well... That makes him qualitfied only for the Tea Party ticket....
Loser!
What a shame! I was really hoping he would run and get the Republican nomination. Maybe Michelle Bachmann will get it now. Or Newt. These sideshows are hilarious…not that we Democrats fear even the best the Repubs can offer. Who is that by the way? Is Bob Dole still around?
I'm shocked. SHOCKED! Now we will never know how truly impressive The Donald's financials are. We will never get to see him shake his finger in the faces of the leaders of China, North Korea or Iran as he scolds them for their bad behavior and makes them do his bidding. We will never get a world-class ballroom in the White House, or a casino or luxurious penthouse apartment there. Now the presidential race is going to be all grown-up and boring. Thanks for nothing, Trump!
It would have been a waste of his own time and money.
one down
one to go.............
Too bad he quit...it would have been fun to have him around a bit longer...he did give us a lot of laughs!
vet in texas... Ha! You believe what John McCain says now over obama's own CIA Director? I guess you libs just chose to believe whatever goes with your point of view... regardless of facts
On the up side, this frees up a seat on the Republican Presidential contender clown car.
He's delusional if he thinks he could have won the general election. But we all knew that long ago, while he has yet to recognize it.
Really?! What a surprise. Duh!
Crises averted. The presidency can remain a legitimate political position.
Donald had a better chance at being president for mens hair loss products then running for the white house....
Baby just wasn't getting enough attention... poor Donald... poor baby...
And the Republican Party again gets dropped off on the doorstep, its panties down by its knees, its makeup all smudged, its hair a mess.
Well there goes my Republican dream team – Donald & Michelle 2012 –
two people I believe to be the best example of a Republican.
Oh dear....comedians will be missing a great opportunity for material,
What this statement does not say is that his hairpiece is still going to run for President...as it is more intelligent than he is.
Big deal ... Trump, like Palin, know they don't have a snowballs chance in hades of winning either or party nomination let alone the Presidency. Instead, they will both "voice their opinions" and IMO, provide nothing constructive in this important and crucial presidential election.
That is the most incredulous amount of bullcrockering that I have heard in a long time. Thank Godness we will be spared his high and mighty ego bombastery for this election. He makes Sarah Palin look good when compared to this idiot.
Can you even begin to imagine the cesspool of corruption that would be revealed if he underwent a canditorial "vetting" by both the opposition party and the media? He's not that stupid, despite how his hair makes him look.
What a shock! The blowhard loudmouth has chickened out! I guess he does not want the American people to see how much $ he really has through the financial discolure documents, and realize he's not half the man (I mean billionaire ...) he claims he is. His expertise is investing other people's money and losing 90 cents on the dollar for them through bankruptcy filings and then getting paople to buy his books thinking he actually knows something about building a business. This guy is a total joke. Good riddins ... THE DONALD.
I can't believe but shouldn't be surprised by his quote – – "I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election." The man needs a serious jolt of reality, but then again I guess he thinks The Apprentice is reality. President Obama put him in his rightful place with his comments during the recent White House Correspondents Dinner. And the Republican Party is probably breathing a sigh of relief.
Shockingly, he's not really got any new projects that need publicity now. His TV show is running down and no new books out. How many times is this guy going to pull this and still have gullible people believing it? It's laughable.