Donald Trump officially pledges his loyalty to the GOP

Donald Trump at The Family Leadership Summit in Iowa — (Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Donald Trump swore off the possibility of a third-party run on Thursday, when he announced signing a pledge of loyalty to the Republican Party. Trump, who famously refused to rule out a third-party bid in Fox News' big GOP debate in August, said Thursday that he had been treated "with great respect" since ascending to the top spot in the GOP presidential polls, and that he sees "no circumstances under which I would tear up that pledge." By signing the pledge, Trump will avoid complications of getting on primary ballots as a Republican, and also rob opponents of an attack line at the next debate.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.