Trump keeping his reality-TV job

NEW YORK – Donald Trump to self: You’re fired.

Out of the presidential race before he was officially in it, the celebrity real estate mogul announced Monday he would not seek the 2012 Republican nomination. He could have won the White House, he said, but instead will continue to steer his business empire and remain host of his reality show “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Trump revealed his decision Monday at a meeting of advertising executives who had come to learn about NBC’s fall television lineup. The network had been pressing him for a decision, fearing the loss of millions of dollars in ad revenue if “Celebrity Apprentice” didn’t return next year.

“I will not be running for president, as much as I’d like to,” Trump said to cheers from the audience.

His office also released a formal statement, in which Trump said he felt confident he could have won both the Republican nomination and a general election showdown with Obama.

“Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector,” Trump said.