[150][151][152] A July 1999 poll matching him against likely Republican nominee George W. Bush and likely Democratic nominee Al Gore showed Trump with seven percent support.[153]

2011 hints at presidential run
Trump speaking at CPAC 2011
In 2011, Trump speculated about running against President Barack Obama in the 2012 election, making his first speaking appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2011 and giving speeches in early primary states.[154][155] In May 2011, he announced he would not run,[154] and he endorsed Mitt Romney in February 2012.[156] Trump's presidential ambitions were generally not taken seriously at the time.[157]

2016 presidential campaign
Main article: Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign
Further information: 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries and 2016 United States presidential election § General election campaign
Trump's fame and provocative statements earned him an unprecedented amount of free media coverage, elevating his standing in the Republican primaries.[158] He adopted the phrase "truthful hyperbole", coined by his ghostwriter Tony Schwartz, to describe his public speaking style.[126][159] His campaign statements were often opaque and suggestive,[160] and a record number of them were false.