Donald Trump “totally committed” himself to the Republican Party during Tuesday night’s GOP debate. He ruled out an independent bid, “no matter what,” and told viewers he would do “everything in [his] power to beat Hillary Clinton” if he’s the GOP nominee.
Trump’s declaration was welcomed by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who said, during an interview Wednesday morning, he “never doubted that any of [the GOP candidates] would reverse course” and renege on their loyalty pledge.
But Trump has either hinted at or explicitly threatened to leave the Republican Party many times before.
In mid-July, less than one month after he announced his bid for the White House, Trump told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that an independent bid “would be, I think, very bad for the Republicans.”
“I think it would be very bad in terms of beating the Democrats. And we have to win,” he said.
Eleven days after his CNN interview aired, the self-funded billionaire changed course.
“Absolutely, if they’re not fair, that would be a factor,” Trump told The Hill on July 23, when asked specifically if he would be open to running as a third-party candidate.
Trump has since emphasized how important it is that he receive fair treatment from Republicans, in order to prevent him from launching an independent bid, nearly a dozen times.
July 27: Trump tells Fox News, “If I’m treated fairly and I get a good, fair shot at this, and I’m not, you know, being sabotaged with all sorts of nonsense and a lot of phony ads … I would have no interest in doing that whatsoever.”
Aug. 6: Fox News’ Bret Baier begins the first GOP debate with a “hand-raising” question, asking the candidates: “Is there anyone on stage — and can I see hands, who is unwilling tonight to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party, and pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person?”
Trump is the only candidate to raise his hand.
Aug. 8: During an interview with The New York Times, Trump says he was frustrated by Fox News’ decision to press him on his commitment to the Republican Party during the first GOP debate. Still, he said of an independent bid, “If you’re rich, it’s doable.”
Aug. 16: Trump tells MSNBC‘s Chuck Todd, he’s “not prepared to close [the] door yet” on a third-party run. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if someday in the not too distant future, it happens,” he adds.
Aug. 30: Trump tells supporters at a campaign rally in Nashville, Tenn., that he will “make a decision very soon” about launching a third-party bid.
Sept. 3: Trump signs a “loyalty pledge” at his skyscraper in New York City, vowing to run as a Republican and to support whoever ends up the GOP nominee. The pledge silences Trump’s third-party threats for more than two months, until late November.
Nov. 22: Trump tells ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, “I’m going to have to see what happens. I will see what happens. I have to be treated fairly. When I did this, I said I have to be treated fairly. If I’m treated fairly, I’m fine. All I want to do is [have] a level playing field.”
Nov. 23: Citing a recent Wall Street Journal report about GOP operatives seeking to launch a “guerilla campaign” against him, Trump tweets:
Nov. 24: Trump’s senior counsel, Michael Cohen, strikes a threatening tone when asked about a Trump third-party run. Cohen tells CNN, “They can say whatever they want, [but] Reince Priebus has an obligation to Donald Trump in order to treat him fairly, make sure the process treats him fairly, and if they don’t, this will be a very, very bad thing for the Republican Party.”
Nov. 29: Asked about reemerging discussions of a third-party bid, Trump tells MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, “I can’t say that yet because I don’t see it.” Minutes later, however, he renews his call for fair treatment by Republicans, claiming that if he feels “mistreated,” he could go rogue.
Dec. 9: Trump tells CNN’s Don Lemon, “If they don’t treat me with a certain amount of decorum and respect, if they don’t treat me as the front-runner, by far as the front-runner, if the playing field is not level, then certainly all options are open.”
Dec. 8: Trump takes to Twitter to tout the support he’d have for an independent bid.
Dec. 15: In a post-debate interview, Trump speaks to CNN’s Chris Cuomo about being asked, during the fifth debate Tuesday, if he’s committed to the Republican Party.
“When they asked, I did not hesitate, I decided to just say, ‘Yes I’m a Republican,'” he said.
With the Iowa caucuses less than 50 days away and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz closing in on him in the polls, chances are Trump is likely to feel mistreated as the contest keeps going. Whether he backtracks again, after pledging his loyalty to the GOP a second time, is anybody’s guess.
