Donald Trump to Endorse Newt Gingrich, Reports Say
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Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesUPDATE: Sources familiar with Donald Trump’s decision now tell ABC News the real estate mogul and reality TV star will endorse Mitt Romney in Las Vegas on Thursday.
(LAS VEGAS) — Donald Trump is scheduled to make a “major announcement” Thursday afternoon pertaining to the presidential race, according to his office.
Barring a Groundhog Day surprise, it’s expected that the real estate mogul turned NBC Celebrity Apprentice host will put his full faith and credit behind GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, published reports say.
Trump will make his announcement at a press conference in Las Vegas at 12:30 p.m.
Several of the candidates for the GOP nomination have courted Trump’s endorsement by visiting him at his Manhattan hotel. Mitt Romney, the presumptive front-runner, is among those who’ve met with Trump, who has made no secret of his disdain for President Obama.
In fact, Trump made noises about running for president last year and questioned whether Obama was born in the U.S, prompting the White House to produce a birth certificate to silence critics.
Trump has also talked about mounting a third-party run if he’s unhappy with the eventual Republican nominee. Should Gingrich fail to capture the nomination, it’s unclear whether Trump would launch a separate candidacy.
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