Bobby Jindal drops out of GOP Presidential race, Donald Trump says he was ‘nice’
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Tuesday in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on “Special Report” he is suspending his presidential campaign.
Jindal said he was born to “believe Americans can do anything,” but that he’s come to the realization that “this is not my time.”
“Going forward, I believe we have to be the party of growth and we can never stop being the party that believes in opportunity,” Jindal said in a statement announcing his decision. “We cannot settle for the left’s view of envy and division. We have to be the party that says everyone in this country – no matter the circumstances of their birth or who their parents are – can succeed in America.”
When asked by Baier why his candidacy didn’t take off, Jindal said his campaign spent “a lot of time” developing policy papers, but “clearly there wasn’t a lot of interest” in those papers.
Jindal says he is not endorsing another candidate right now, but will support the eventual Republican presidential nominee.
“They hate our freedoms,” Jindal told Baier. “The attack on Paris was not just an attack on the French, it was an attack on our way of life.”
He also addressed the growing controversy among governors of 25 U.S. states over the Syrian refugee program.
“We don’t want these refugees in our state,” Jindal said.
Jindal said that he’s ordered Louisiana State Police to track the 13 Syrian refugees that have been sent to his state so far by the federal government.
“Why would we let people in the country when ISIS has told us they are going to send terrorists with these refugees?” he said.
GOP frontrunner Donald Trump said Wednesday that “ultimately,” the Louisiana governor was “very nice” to him.
“Well, he was, you know, a little nasty with me. But I think ultimately was very nice. And he tried,” the Republican presidential candidate told “Fox and Friends” in a telephone interview. “And you know, everybody’s nasty to me because they want to get votes. They figure they’ll get a little publicity and maybe get some votes.”
“But, I almost — look, you know, he was in there,” Trump said of Jindal. “He tried very hard. I think he’s a nice guy. I think he’s a good man.”
At the same time, Trump added, “you know, I’m not unhappy to see one by one they go.”