Trump: I won't do straw poll if everyone backs out

Donald Trump, the reality TV star, businessman and serial flirter with presidential campaigns, recently announced that he'll declare his 2016 ambitions on June 16 in New York City.

Before he heads to Iowa this week with visits in Mason City and Coralville, Trump spoke with The Des Moines Register about the Iowa Straw Poll, his "beautiful" solution to the Islamic State, and discerning between celebrity and political appeal.

Are you going to announce that you're running for president this month?

A lot of people think that now. Don't forget they never did think it. I do well in the polls and nobody thinks I'm running. The theme of my campaign is "Make America Great Again." We're going to make America great again. That's what people want.

When you're Iowa testing the waters, how do you gauge whether these big crowds you draw are people wanting to see a reality TV star or wanting to see someone they think could run the country?

I don't know the answer to that. You say to yourself: "Does it translate?" It may not translate, I don't know. But I know one thing that translates: The politicians — and I know all of them — they're never going to make this country great.

You're doing well enough in polls now to nab a spot in the televised presidential debates. In our latest Iowa Poll, however, 58 percent of likely GOP caucusgoers said they would "never" support you for president.

That's because they don't think I'm running. When they think I'm running, they go through the roof. I see it even on Twitter. I have millions of people on Twitter and Facebook, like 6 million people on Twitter and Facebook. They say: "Please run, but if you don't run, well, just leave me alone." You know, it's sort of interesting. But they want me to run.

You're getting better numbers in some polls than several candida—

I'm the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far. Nobody's ever been more successful than me. I'm the most successful person ever to run. Ross Perot isn't successful like me. Romney — I have a Gucci store that's worth more than Romney.

What's your commitment to the Iowa Straw Poll, here?

If people got together and wanted the Iowa Straw Poll, I'm fine with it. But it looks to me like it's not doing so well right now. If it's good for Iowa and good for the poll itself, I think it's an institution, I'd be in favor of it.

So you might not play in the Iowa Straw Poll if enough players don't show up?

Well if everyone's going to drop out? What's the purpose? It loses its meaning, you understand that.

Specifically, what would you do to address the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria?

I have an absolute way of defeating ISIS, and it would be decisive and quick and it would be very beautiful. Very surgical.

Military on the ground? Drone strikes?

If I tell you right now, everyone else is going to say: "Wow, what a great idea." You're going to have 10 candidates going to use it and they're going to forget where it came from. Which is me.

Do you have advisers on issues like this?

With very successful people, we sort of have our own ideas. A lot of people hire consultants. Well, if the consultant's so smart, why aren't they rich?

This interview has been condensed and edited.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct a typographical error. In the interview, Donald Trump was asked about the 58 percent of likely GOP caucusgoers in an Iowa Poll who said they would "never" support him for president.