Few things in life are certain—but ahead of each presidential election, you can be sure businessman and TV personality Donald Trump will engage in a long flirtation with t mounting a campaign for the White House.
In 2000, he toyed with the idea of running as an independent. In 2006, the New York Post reported that he was “definitely interested in running for president in 2008, possibly as an independent.” In 2010, Trump again said he was “being serious” about considering a run—this time as a Republican. Prior to the 2012 election, Trump floated the idea all over cable and print, before finally deciding he wouldn’t do it.
During an interview Tuesday about an unrelated matter, The Daily Beast asked Trump if he is planning on running this time around.
“Well, I’m thinking about it. I’m certainly looking at it, and we’ll see who runs, and we’ll see how bad of shape the country is in. We just topped $18 trillion in debt, which is a very bad number—that’s a record-shattering number. We just hit $18 trillion yesterday, $18 trillion in debt! Much of it to the Chinese and to people who are actually our enemies. This country needs really strong leadership and good leadership or it’s gonna be in very big trouble.”
“So, I’m certainly looking at it. A lot of people want me to do it. I have millions of Twitter followers and Facebook followers—many millions—boy, they really want me to do it. But we’ll see who runs. I’m going to examine what’s going on, and after the beginning of the New Year, I’ll make a decision. It’s something that—It could happen. You know, look, I love the country, and I hate to see what’s happening to it. It’s run so poorly and so stupidly—beyond poorly, It’s just run so stupidly. So, we’ll see what happens. You’ll be the first to know!”
Stay tuned.