Donald Trump announces that he’s launched a presidential exploratory committee. Trump hired political operatives formerly affiliated with the Koch brothers in February, so the announcement doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
I have a great love for our country, but it is a country that is in serious trouble. We have lost the respect of the entire world. Americans deserve better than what they get from their politicians — who are all talk and no action! I have built a great company, created thousands of jobs and built a tremendous net worth with some of the finest and most prestigious assets in the world — and very little debt! All Americans deserve the same opportunity. Our real unemployment rate is staggering while our manufacturing base is eroding on a daily basis. 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! We must stop out countries from totally taking advantage of our representatives who are being out-negotiated at every turn. I am the only one who can make America truly great again!
Press Release from The Donald J. Trump Presidential Exploratory Committee
Unfortunately, the media doesn’t take his potential candidacy seriously. Six years later, this response from Vox reads both like a joke and a warning.
Let’s be clear: Donald Trump will not win the GOP presidential nomination, if he does end up running. The party elites who play such an important role in the primary process have absolutely no desire to hand over control of the GOP to a mercurial billionaire who’s never held political office before… Instead, the effect of a Trump entrance into the race (if it happens) will likely be to sap support from other far-right bomb-throwers.
Vox

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Photo: John Pemble