Donald Trump to compete in Iowa Straw Poll if he's running

Donald Trump will compete in the Iowa Straw Poll if he runs for president, he told The Des Moines Register in a telephone interview Tuesday morning.

"One hundred percent," Trump said. "If I run, I'll absolutely be participating."

Trump, a New York real estate mogul turned reality TV star, said another big announcement is coming in June.

He didn't specifically say it will be related to his intentions for the 2016 race for the White House, but he has been hinting at that. At the Republican Party of Iowa's Lincoln Dinner on Saturday night, Trump told the audience he'll make an announcement in June that's "going to surprise a lot of people."

Trump, 68, is the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts, and executive producer and host of "The Apprentice" and "Celebrity Apprentice" reality television shows that began in 2003.

During this presidential election cycle, Trump has already done 11 campaign-style events over seven days in Iowa, home to the first votes in the nomination process. But some Iowans still express skepticism that he'll officially file papers to run for president.

That's partly because he has toyed with a White House bid more than once — and attracted plenty of national media coverage — but never officially became a candidate. He briefly considered a run as an independent in 2000, then dropped hints about his interest in 2008 and 2012 in the months before the presidential nomination voting began.

Trump told the Register on Tuesday that if any Iowan ranks him low on their list of favorite presidential contenders, "it's because a lot of people think I'm not running. They think it's just entertainment."

But if he announces, doubts about his viability will vanish immediately, he said.