Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2000
| Donald Trump for President | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Campaign | U.S. presidential election, 2000 |
| Candidate |
Donald Trump President and Chairman of The Trump Organization (1971–2017) President of the United States (2017-present) |
| Affiliation | Reform Party |
| Status | Announced: October 7, 1999 Ended: February 14, 2000 |
| Headquarters | Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Key people | Roger Stone (Director) |
| Website | |
| www.donaldjtrump2000.com (no longer functional) | |
The Donald Trump presidential campaign of 2000 for the nomination of the Reform Party began when real estate magnate Donald Trump of New York announced the creation of a presidential exploratory committee on the October 7, 1999 edition of Larry King Live. Though Trump had never held elected office, he was well known for his frequent comments on public affairs and business exploits as head of The Trump Organization. He had previously considered a presidential run in 1988 as a Republican, but chose not to run. For 2000, Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura persuaded Trump to seek the presidential nomination of the Reform Party, which was fracturing despite achieving ballot access and qualifying for matching funds as a result of the presidential campaign of businessman Ross Perot, the party's 1996 presidential nominee. Trump's entrance into the Reform Party race coincided with that of paleoconservative commentator Pat Buchanan, whom Trump attacked throughout the campaign as a "Hitler-lover."
Trump focused his campaign on the issues of fair trade, eliminating the national debt, and achieving universal healthcare as outlined in the campaign companion piece The America We Deserve, released in January 2000. He named media proprietor Oprah Winfrey as his ideal running mate and said he would instantly marry his girlfriend, Melania Knauss, to make her First Lady. Critics questioned the seriousness of Trump's campaign and speculated that it was a tactic to strengthen his brand and sell books. Trump defended his candidacy as a serious endeavor and proclaimed that he had a chance to win the election. Though he never expanded the campaign beyond the exploratory phase, Trump made numerous media appearances as a candidate, traveled to campaign events in Florida, California, and Minnesota, and qualified for two presidential primaries. Veteran campaign strategist and longtime Trump aide Roger Stone was hired as director of the exploratory committee.
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