Washington (CNN) National Review columnist David French announced Sunday evening that he would not make an independent bid for president.

Speculation about the possibility of French running began when the editor of the Weekly Standard magazine, Bill Kristol, tapped the conservative writer as someone who could take on Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic standard-bearer.

French was seen as a surprising pick due to his lack of public recognition.

French, who is also an Iraq war veteran, shared his decision not to run in an op-ed published on the National Review

"After days of prayer, reflection, and serious study of the possibilities, I am not going to run as an independent candidate for president of the United States," French said.

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