Trump: I would have beaten Obama

Real estate mogul Donald Trump says the 2012 presidential race would have turned out differently if he had been on the ballot. 

The reality television star is dipping his toe back into the presidential waters on Saturday, speaking at the Iowa Freedom Summit. Now, he’s bemoaning that he didn’t jump in last time around. 

{mosads}”I was leading in every poll. … I regret that I didn’t stay in,” Trump told the Des Moines Register in an interview Friday. “I would’ve won the race against (President Barack) Obama. He would’ve been easy. Hillary (Clinton) is tougher to beat than Obama, but Hillary is very beatable.”

The host of NBC’s “The Apprentice” says if he runs in 2016, money won’t be an issue since he’ll be be self funding. The wealthy businessman says he’ll make a decision before June, and though he’s toyed with a White House bid several times before, this time he’s “strongly inclined to do so.”

Trump was critical of two frontrunners who won’t be at the Iowa conservative gathering on Saturday— 2012 nominee Mitt Romney and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. 

“He failed. He choked. He’s like a deal-maker that didn’t close the deal. He shouldn’t be running again. He had a great opportunity to win against a president that was absolutely lame, and he didn’t do it,” Trump said of Romney, who has surprised many by floating a third possible bid for the White House. 

Of Bush, Trump said it was time for new blood from GOP presidential candidates. 

“Frankly we’ve had enough of the Bushes,” he said. “We’re bushed out.”