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'He wouldn't have a chance': Trump pours cold water on suggestion Don Jr could run for NYC mayor

Don Jr has refused to rule out running for mayor (Getty Images)
Don Jr has refused to rule out running for mayor (Getty Images)

President Donald Trump on Thursday poured cold water on any suggestion his son, Don Jr, could run for mayor of New York City, saying he "wouldn't have a chance of winning".

"No, I hope [he doesn't run] because he couldn't win as a Republican," said Mr Trump, when asked by Fox Business host, Maria Bartiromo, if Don Jr might throw his hat into the ring in the 2021 race.

Mr Trump, who appears frequently on Fox, had been discussing the elimination of cash bail in New York, a policy he claimed has "destroyed" the city.

In an attempt to reduce prison populations, New York earlier this year scrapped cash bail for misdemeanor and nonviolent offenders.

Vice presidential candidate and former California attorney general, Kamala Harris, has suggested the policy could be rolled out nationally should Joe Biden win November's election.

Critics say scrapping cash bail has caused a spike in crime, arguing the reforms are too lenient for potentially dangeous individuals.

Bemoaning New York's liberal leadership, Mr Trump, 74, said the only way for Republicans to take back the city and reintroduce cash bail was to put forward a candidate like Rudy Giuliani, who served as mayor from 1993 to 2001.

Mr Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer and a leading figure in Republican circles, last month unveiled a two-year plan to "revive" New York and help get more GOP candidates get elected.

At 76-years-old, Mr Guiliani ruled himself out of running to replace current mayor Bill De Blasio, but did not name a preferred candidate.

Don Jr, 42, has been toying with the idea of running for mayor since ever since his father launched his run for the White House.

“I never like to rule anything out,” he told CNN's State of the Union in July 2016, when asked if he would run against Mr De Blasio.

“We always like to keep our options open, so if I could do that as a service to my country, I would love to do that.”

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