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, Donald. Some of your ideas are right on but you are not in the right package.
Hey Trump, you can't quit, cause YOU'RE FIRED!!! : )
Dang. I was looking forward to The Donald running. Now he will have to transfer his 3 potential voters to Bachmann.
Well, he kept his promise. He's made me very, very, happy.
Does anybody actually care about this idiot and his charade? I mean... really? He's the most "attention hungry yet insignificant in America" person I can think of.
Well, I certainly didn't see that coming.
He just wanted the publicity...his passion is himself. Talk about delusions of grandeur! What universe does he live in that he considers that he was a viable candidate?
He can rant all he wants, Im still not watching his excretory reality show.
He knew he was toast when he became the laughing stock of the White House Correspondents dinner. Imagine what a joke fest the country would have had if he actually ran!
This is not news. He was never going to run and have to disclose his $$$ and anyway, he has no ideas or class.
Now we have two quiters....Trump and Palin.....
I wonder what he sees in the mirror when he looks into it?
Despite his apparent "campaigning," there was NEVER any possibility that he would run. If he did, he'd have to disclose his finances, and we'd all learn that he's the consummate liar.
alright now would all the idiots who were backing this guy please stand up? Ridiculous.
To vet in texas
"They're what we thought they were" – Coach Denny Green
That's funny! Thanks, I needed a laugh.
He didn't stand a chance anyways
Donald, you should be ashamed of yourself for playing the libtards for the simpletons they are. it is not nice to jerk them around and get them all worked up like that. Their meds just can't handle it!!
His "statement" underscores just how delusional he is. Sarah Palin and Donald Trump – two of the biggest liars and frauds ever to step up to a microphone. And these are the republican party's best hope for world dominance?
trugh is, he didn't want to release his financial records....he's a crook, a joke and lots of baby's daddys
Too bad. Some of us hoped you would run since you had no chance of winning.
No way!!!! What an utterly shocking announcement(heavy sarcasm).
Huh. Could it be that he kept this ruse going just to earn himself some publicity?!?!?!?!?!?(heavier sarcasm)
There was never any doubt that he would not run. He does this every election cycle. Only this cycle, his TV show and the delay of any real GOP candidates to formally enter the race made Trump more newsworthy. He is a buffoon whose Wharton degree should be questioned.
What a jerkoff. He was never going to run. He only wanted the attention- along with the boost in ratings for his stupid tv show. He's done this same routine multiple times- announcing he's 'thinking seriously' about running for President. It's sick.
Why is this a big breaking news story? I didn't bother to read the article, just wanted to ask that question. It seems I'm not alone in not giving a hoot.
Reality finally set in for the so-called reality star.