Donald Trump Won't Run for President

Celebrity News May 16, 2011 AT 1:18PM
Donald Trump Won't Run for President Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Donald Trump just fired himself from the 2012 Presidential election.

After weeks of very-public discussion regarding a potential bid as the Republican candidate to run against President Barack Obama, the mogul and reality TV star, 64, announced his decision in a statement released on Monday:

"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," Trump said.

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Added the political newcomer: "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."

A more experienced Republican leader recently announced his interest in running: Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House.

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Obama mocked Trump's "credentials and breadth of experience" during a speech at the White House Correspondents' Bash earlier this month.

"In an episode of Celebrity Apprentice, at the steakhouse, the men's cooking team cooking did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around. But you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership," Obama joked.

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"You fired Gary Busey. And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir. Well handled, sir. Well handled!"

Added Trump in his Monday statement: "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."

Tell Us What You Think

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  • May 17, 2011 - 11:28am Jamal Alexander

    Trump blew it with siding with the retarded birther movement. If he had only stuck to the real issues, he could have had a solid chance.

  • May 17, 2011 - 10:46am John Chavez

    The real reason Trump isn't running...because he wold fire everybody! Search you tube Trump fires everybody

  • May 16, 2011 - 6:30pm Cristi Fawn

    I usually (not always)vote republican, but I never would have voted for Trump. Lousy business man besides.

  • May 16, 2011 - 6:00pm Ã?ichölas Alán

    Poor Patricia. If you don't realize that "The Donald" is not someone who is "skilled in business", maybe you need to read up on the facts. Donald Trump has filed for bankruptcy 3 times in the past 20 years. Not a good argument but a valiant try. So many people let the making of himself look and sound good on TV cloud the fact that he really isn't a great business man at all...

  • May 16, 2011 - 4:10pm Allison Berry Barbieri

    Thank goodness!

  • May 16, 2011 - 4:05pm Filomena Araujo

    Oh whew! Thanks God, that's all we need in the oval office, a Blabber mouth with bad hair!

  • May 16, 2011 - 3:43pm Patricia Hutton

    I think he should run. This country needs to be run like a big company he could do it. Not like some big hat where you can pull slips out of to see what cuts to make, ALWAYS to the poor people. This country is like a big business It needs someone skilled in business to make things work. I personally don't care about his personal background since we all have things in our past that have happened. THat's the problem with this country. We are always looking behind and never ahead.

  • May 16, 2011 - 3:34pm Lovely Lifee

    Kylie I am with you with the voting. I don't vote by party either, I vote for the better candidate. When I was younger I thought everyone did that..nope.

  • May 16, 2011 - 3:10pm Kylie Dean

    I vote both ways, and vote for the person and not the party. I am so glad this man is not running!! and I am not an Obama fan either, but Trump is a jerk.

  • May 16, 2011 - 3:10pm Coleen Lette

    THANK YOU GOD!

  • May 16, 2011 - 3:07pm Lovely Lifee

    Darn! LOL. I love how he was so sure he would win everything but still decided not to run. I completly agree with you Deanna!

  • May 16, 2011 - 2:56pm Tricia Didier Norene

    Of course not he has way too much baggage a couple marriages and divorces bankruptcy's and then there is the fact that our President knocked the wind out of his sails.. LOL...

  • May 16, 2011 - 2:46pm Sharon Marano

    Did anyone honestly think this was anything *but* a publicity stunt? I love how he announces his non-candidacy just days before the Celebrity Apprentice finale.

  • May 16, 2011 - 2:40pm Kiki Ottawa

    He withdrew as he realised there was no hope he'd win and rather than face this embarrassing reality he decided to slink away with some asinine excuse. Seems the only ones buying â??Trump For Presidentâ?? share his last name. No doubt he has made great (if brutal) business decisions and is a self-made tycoon, but his over-inflated ego causes him to mistake peopleâ??s fear of him for respect, and their fascination with his ruthless business skills for adoration. Greatly delusional is the kindest way to describe his perception of himself.

  • May 16, 2011 - 1:51pm Ashley Harrison

    dam! I was looking forward to the comedy, but I had a strong feeling he was doing this just so he could hear & see himself on tv. He's a joke!

  • May 16, 2011 - 1:45pm Deanna Tickle

    Um, duh! It was a publicity stunt so people would watch his 2 hour long BORING show, The Apprentice. I thought everyone was in on that joke.

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