(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
USA TODAY
Donald Trump formally endorsed Mitt Romney for president, saying the former Massachusetts governor is "smart" and "tough."
At a news conference at Trump's hotel in Las Vegas, the real estate developer and reality TV star appeared with Romney and his wife, Ann. The endorsement comes two days before the Nevada caucuses, where a new statewide poll shows Romney with a huge lead over Newt Gingrich.
Romney said he was honored to get Trump's endorsement and saluted the developer's work in the private sector and his stance on China.
"He's one of the few people who said China has been cheating," Romney said about Trump, as the GOP candidate vowed to crack down on China.
Trump's formal endorsement of Romney ended a wild ride of speculation about the real estate mogul's intentions.
Earlier, the Associated Press and other news organizations reported Trump was set to back Newt Gingrich, citing sources close to the Gingrich campaign.
Does Trump's endorsement matter? A Pew Research Center poll last month showed 64% of Republican and GOP-leaning voters said his backing would make no difference in how they vote in the presidential election.
But the seesawing about Trump's endorsement is another example of how the developer/reality TV star has been able to inject himself in the political debate. He flirted with the idea of running for the GOP nomination last year, and made President Obama's birth certificate a central focus.
Trump also made headlines when it was announced that he would moderate a debate before the Iowa caucuses, organized by the conservative website NewsMax. But several candidates, led by Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman, balked at participating in what they believed would become a political circus.
Meetings with Trump in his New York City office have been something of a political ritual in this campaign. Gingrich and Romney both made the trek, as did Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain when they were in the race. Trump even appeared with Gingrich before TV cameras after their meeting, and praised his ideas for getting kids a job.
Trump told reporters before the endorsement that he was influenced with his meetings with Romney over the past few months. He cited Romney's performances at the GOP debates as another factor, as well as his stance on China.
"I never knew him," Trump told reporters about Romney before the endorsement news conference. "I knew of him and respected him, but I really got to know him over the past few months. I've had numerous meetings with him."
Trump previously had not been enthusiastic about Romney. In an interview with Meghan McCain for The Daily Beast, Trump said Romney was "going to lose" the presidency because "he doesn't resonate."