Donald Trump’s self-praise may or may not have provided a signal that he will actually seek the White House this time around.
Trump flirted with running in 2012 before endorsing Mitt Romney, the eventual Republican nominee.
An as-yet unannounced (and perhaps never announced) GOP presidential candidate, the real estate mogul, entrepreneur, and reality TV star told an Iowa news outlet today, “I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency.”
In the same interview, the businessman was noncommittal about competing in the Iowa Straw Poll but insisted that he would rise to the top of the pack of candidates should he officially become a 2016 candidate for the presidency.
Having already formed an exploratory committee, Trump plans to make a public announcement on June 6 in New York City as to whether he will throw his hat, or his hair, into the ring for the upcoming campaign.
In March, Trump claimed that his business acumen makes him the only candidate “who can make America truly great again.” The billionaire has filed for corporate bankruptcy on four occasions, but he has never filed for personal bankruptcy, Forbes reported in 2011.
Trump is an outspoken foe of President Obama and recently suggested that Obama was responsible to some degree for the riots in Baltimore. Among other issues, he also has been highly critical of the massive U.S. trade imbalance with China.
When the Des Moines Register pointed out that he is polling better than some other candidates, Trump responded with the following self-assessment of his business career.
“I’m the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far. Nobody’s ever been more successful than me. I’m the most successful person ever to run. Ross Perot isn’t successful like me. Romney — I have a Gucci store that’s worth more than Romney.”
Donald Trump also claimed that he has a secret plan for vanquishing ISIS, the Islamic State terrorist army.
“I have an absolute way of defeating ISIS, and it would be decisive and quick and it would be very beautiful. Very surgical.”
The Donald admitted to having some doubt as to whether his fame as Celebrity Apprentice host will give him traction in a national political campaign, saying, “It may not translate, I don’t know. But I know one thing that translates: The politicians — and I know all of them — they’re never going to make this country great.”
Do you think that Donald Trump will wind up running for president or is this just more self-promotion?
[Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images News]