Trump Will 'Probably' Run As Independent If He Loses GOP Nomination

Donald Trump continues his birther-fueled media blitz with a visit to the Wall Street Journal, where he gave a lengthy interview covering such topics as the rebellion in Libya, trade troubles with China, and the possibility that he will make an independent presidential run in 2012 if he loses the GOP nomination.

There has been much speculation that Trump's 2012 ambitions are nothing more than a way to drum up publicity for his NBC television show, "The Celebrity Apprentice." Not so, insists Trump: "I don't need to do this for ratings on the Apprentice. This is too important."

Trump's fast rise among GOP voters can largely be attributed to his frenzied pushing of the birther conspiracy. The White House has, predictably, brushed aside Trump as an irrelevant candidate.

Most worrisome for Republicans, however, is if Trump follows through on his threats to run as an independent candidate: "I think the Republicans are very concerned that I [may] run as an independent... The concern is if I don't win [the GOP primary] will I run as an independent, and I think the answer is probably yes."

Trump would not be the subtlest campaigner. When the WSJ turned the subject to foreign affairs, such as the U.S. intervention in the Libyan civil war and trade relations with China, he gave characteristically blunt answers:

As for foreign policy, Mr. Trump said he is "only interested in Libya if we take the oil," and that if he were President, "I would not leave Iraq and let Iran take over the oil." He remains sharply critical of the Chinese, asserting that as President, "I would tell China that you're either going to shape up, or I'm going to tax you at 25% for all the products you send into this country."

A new CNN national poll has Trump tied for first place with Mike Huckabee in the race to the 2012 Republican nomination, but HuffPost's Mark Blumenthal questions whether Trump's GOP support in the primary is as strong as recent polls suggest. Probably not, Blumenthal concludes.

Trump's presidential ambitions, real or imagined, have led to new feuds with media figures and celebrities, including New York TImes columnist Gail Collins and Bill Cosby.

"The Celebrity Apprentice" ends in June, which is when Trump claims he'll make a final decision on whether or not to run. If he declared now he would have to give up his show under campaign finance laws.

Comments

[keepitloud003]

05:07 PM on 04/14/2011

TRUMP WILL WIN THE PRESIDENSY BY A LAND SLIDE , I'LL BE RIGHT HERE TELLING ALL OF YOU ''TOLD YOU SO '' SOMEONE SHOULD TAX THOSE CHINA GOOKS AND AT LEAST DONALD TRUMP WAS BORNIN THIS COUNTRY , HEY OBAMA WHERE'S YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE ? YOU CAN GET A REPLEACENET BIRTH CERTIFICATE FOR ONLY $10-15.00 BUCKS HELL I'LL GIVE YOU THE MONEY

[ptrgamb]

01:07 PM on 04/13/2011

So this would be just another path to defeat

[NYCannibal]

10:28 AM on 04/13/2011

We all know people like him in our lives. Just what this election needs, a Nut Magnet to draw votes from people with bad first names (Mitt, Newt, etc).

[jdrourke]

02:08 AM on 04/13/2011

Anyone with hair that scary needs to re-think his choices in life...

http://jdrourke.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/memo-to-donald-trump/

[Sean Foley]

10:02 PM on 04/12/2011

Got my vote

[centsable]

10:19 PM on 04/12/2011

ha ha ha...thats's one..anyone else?

[centsable]

09:56 PM on 04/12/2011

tRump wants to tax China 25%..does he realize that China is america's landlord. Why would you want to upset the owner of so much of america's debt.

[jdrourke]

02:09 AM on 04/13/2011

Because he's bad at business. The guy ran a casino into the ground. A freaking casino!!

http://jdrourke.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/memo-to-donald-trump/

[shthar]

09:42 PM on 04/12/2011

I still think he won't release his financial records.

But if he does, he's gauranteed an Obama victory ala perot.

Which may be what he wants.

[CBasilJr]

08:23 PM on 04/12/2011

As Trump is not really a viable candidate, I really would like it if Trump ran. He would divide the Republican vote and cast doubt on the entire conservative movement with a majority of the voters.

Additionally, re-reading about his scandals would brring added amusement to the table as would a Gingrich candidacy.

[Andrea Florence]

08:01 PM on 04/12/2011

Trump running as an Independent could only help the Liberals.
Please oh please Donny....run.

[packeryman]

07:58 PM on 04/12/2011

I would rather see Trump run as an Independent and screw the tea baggers. He can win on an Independent ticket. Dem's, Independents and Republicans who are not social/religious political nuts will join in an elect a man who has cogs to take on the free traders and revisit those agreements for fair trade. This is the only path to rebuilding the disappearing middle class and bringing back meaningful jobs. This service oriented economy of the free traders is destroying America. No other politician will talk about the issue, they have sold out and have no cogs. So the Republican tea baggers can eat it and nominate Trump or take a defeat worst than the Republican far right did in 1964 with Goldwater. GO TRUMP!

[centsable]

10:18 PM on 04/12/2011

Thanks for speaking for all us independents....NOT!!!

[joebro44]

07:12 PM on 04/12/2011

The rest of the world must be taking a real hard look at Amereica because of all loony tones coming out of the wood work to run for President, after eight years of Bush and company and the shape they left the country and the world. The Republican need to work with Obama to pull this country out of the doom and gloom and not waste time on nothing.

[one09flat04]

07:11 PM on 04/12/2011

At least Trump is funny which is more than can be said of the rest of the Republican dreamers!
We have never seen lifetime such a rag tag bunch of hypocrites who change their positions at the drop of a word from President Obama! If only Trump was less of a blow hard and more of a serious candidate that inspired trust! So here we are left with a President that in his effort to compromise continually bargains away democratic core values for smelly fishy right wing issues wrapped in yesterdays newspaper! That is NOT what we voted for! Roland C. Woodaka

[travelgal100]

08:19 PM on 04/12/2011

So vote for his opponent next time....Do you think Barry is going to be any different if GOD FORBID - he won re-election?

[Jh Hudson]

06:40 PM on 04/12/2011

I hope trumph does not win gop,we need a business man with some common values.
But if its him or obama-i choose trumph,atleast hes not a communist.

[Schalaine]

07:56 PM on 04/12/2011

But, I thought he was a Socialist! You guys really need to make up your minds.