Trump forms exploratory committee for president

Maybe he's serious this time.

Donald Trump, the real-estate mogul and reality television personality, Wednesday announced he was forming a committee to explore a candidacy for president. On Thursday, he is scheduled to attend a classic meet-and-greet at the home of a state representative in New Hampshire, the first primary state.

"Americans deserve better than what they get from their politicians --- who are all talk and no action!" Trump said in a statement. "I have built a great company, created thousands of jobs and built a tremendous net worth with some of the finest and most prestigious assets in the world - and very little debt!"

He concluded, "I am the only one who can make America truly great again!"

The announcement is the most concrete sign so far that Trump is serious about running for the 2016 Republican nomination. He had flirted with campaigns for president before, most flamboyantly in 2012, but always backed off, leading cynics to speculate he would pump up presidential hype about himself to drive up audience share for his NBC show The Apprentice.

However, the New Hampshire Union Leader, which first reported the exploratory committee, also said that Trump will walk away from his show. The Donald also has hired key staff in the early-nominating states of Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire.