Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman turned reality television star, launched his presidential campaign on Tuesday at the Trump Tower in Manhattan, N.Y.
Trump’s daughter introduced him and he took the stage to the tune of “Rockin’ in the free world.”
“When was the last time anyone saw us beat China in a trade deal? I beat China all the time; all the time,” Trump said. “The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everyone else’s problem.”
Trump mocked his fellow presidential contenders for seeking his support before announcing his own campaign and said, “They will never make America great again, they don’t even have a chance.”
“Our country needs a truly great leader and needs a truly great leader now,” he said. “Ladies and gentleman, I am officially running for president of the United States and we are going to make our country great again.”
“I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created,” he added.
In RealClearPolitics’ average of polls, Trump leads several fellow Republican presidential contenders including former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and Carly Fiorina.
Donald Trump will head to New Hampshire, an early primary state whose Republican voters strongly support “The Donald.” A recent poll of Granite State Republicans showed former Florida Governor Jeb Bush leading with 22 percent support, followed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at 13 percent, and Trump at 12 percent.
When Ivanka Trump introduced her father on stage, she said, “To address the many challenges we face we don’t need talk, we need execution. … There is no better person than my father when you’re facing opponents.”
But Trump’s mouth may pose headaches for the Republican National Committee, as his poll numbers could knock others off the debate stage later this year.
Trump’s bombastic style may also embarrass party leaders who are trying to eliminate the perception that GOP presidential field as a ‘clown car,’ filled with a hodgepodge of candidates without much of a chance of success. On his reality television show, Trump is known for using the slogan “you’re fired.” On Twitter, he often attacks those he believes to be critics from the right, and has called syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer “one of the worst and most boring political pundits on television.” He has said Stephen Hayes, a senior writer at The Weekly Standard, a “failed writer” with “no success and little talent,” while saying National Review Jonah Goldberg has done “a pathetic job.”
