Is Donald Trump running for president in 2016?
The answer is maybe .
On Wednesday, Trump announced his plans to form a presidential exploratory committee, which is, as the Associates Press reports, “a step short of a formal campaign launch.” It is usually seen as a serious step, however, and may indicate that this time around, Trump really is interested in throwing his hat into the primary ring in order to run for president. Launching the committee allows Trump to begin fundraising and hire staff. Trump indicated that he already has political aides in place in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Those three states are significant because they host the first three contests scheduled on the presidential nominating calendar.
This is not the first time that Trump, certainly no stranger to political mud-slinging and known for being outspoken in his opposition to President Obama, has indicated that he may run for president, but several of his own actions hint that he may actually be serious this time. Along with forming the actual exploratory committee, he recently said that he would not be renewing his contract with NBC for his reality show, The Apprentice. He is also already scheduled to appear in New Hampshire, long considered a so-called “battleground state” later this week in order to meet with veterans and local business owners.
In true Trump fashion, the Republican businessman trumpeted himself in a statement released announcing the move.
“I am the only one who can make America truly great again.”
Trump points to his own success as a real estate mogul and businessman as to why he would make a successful leader of the country, saying that he built his company and has created jobs through the Trump Organization with “very little debt.”
According to Forbes , Trump has filed for corporate bankruptcy four times, in 1991, 1992, 2004 and 2009. However, Trump has shown an ability to escape from those corporate bankruptcies unscathed and with his own wealth seemingly untouched.
Still, Trump believes his record as a businessman makes him a qualified candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in a country facing economic struggles.
“Our real unemployment rate is staggering while our manufacturing base is eroding on a daily basis,” Trump claimed. “We must rebuild our infrastructure, control our borders, support local control of education, greatly strengthen our military, care for our veterans and put Americans back to work!”
Trump believes the county is in “serious trouble,” and he believes himself to be suited to the job.
“I have a great love for our country, but it is a country that is in serious trouble. Americans deserve better than what they get from their politicians who are all talk and no action.”
But it sounds as though potential President Donald Trump has an uphill battle before him. From being derided by Bill O’Reilly as a potential candidate to being a punchline from Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live to the fact that a recent NBC News / Wall Street Journal poll found that a whopping 74 percent of GOP primary voters saying they would not envision themselves supporting a Trump presidency, he may find that clinching the nomination is tougher than he thinks.
What do you think? Would you consider supporting a presidential run from Donald Trump — or, as Palin indicated on Saturday Night Live , would a presidential run from Donald Trump simply be comedy gold?
Click here to read why one person thinks a President Donald would be a great idea. Or, to get a glimpse of what Trump’s $100 million plane looks like, complete with throne, click here — Air Force One would probably be a let down for a potential President Trump!
[Photo credit: Darren McCollester / Stringer / Getty Images]