Donald Trump says he won't run for US president in 2012

US tycoon Donald Trump says he will not be running for the US presidency in 2012, ending weeks of speculation.

Mr Trump said he was not ready to leave the private sector and that his ultimate passion remained in business.

"This decision does not come easily or without regret," he said in a brief statement.

"I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election," Mr Trump added.

The statement went on to say: "I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half heartedly.

"Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector."

Mr Trump, who stars in the reality television programme Celebrity Apprentice, made his announcement on Monday as the NBC television network rolled out its lineup of forthcoming shows.

The New York businessman has been flirting with a presidential bid for weeks, even travelling to early primary states like New Hampshire.

The news comes only days after Mike Huckabee, a Republican and former governor of the US state of Arkansas, announced he would not seek the Republican nomination for the presidency.