Prepared to spend USD 1 billion on presidential campaign if needed, says Donald Trump

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump, American real estate tycoon and a Republican presidential front-runner, has said he is even prepared to splurge up to USD 1 billion if needed on his campaign.

Trump said he does not have to worry about pleasing lobbyists like other candidates because his race is self-funded. The businessman said he recently turned down USD 5 million from a lobbyist wanting to contribute to his campaign.

The 69-year-old real-estate mogul said yesterday that he is prepared to spend USD 1 billion on his campaign if necessary.

"It's irrelevant," he said when asked outside the Iowa State Fair on how much he has spent so far on his campaign.

"I make USD 400 million a year, so what difference does it make? What I want to do is make the country great," he told CNN.

Asked again later, Trump said he would spend up to USD 1 billion, Trump was more definitive, saying, "If necessary, I will spend it, yes."

The billionaire, who has claimed he is worth USD 10 billion, has given to candidates in the past -- including Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton -- so, according to him, they will do his bidding.

Trump said yesterday that more than USD 100 million raised by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will make him a "puppet" controlled by his donors.

Meanwhile, Trump today said he would reverse President Barack Obama's executive orders on immigration and deport all undocumented immigrants from the US if he becomes president.

"We're going to keep the families together, but they have to go," he was quoted as saying by NBC News.

Despite making controversial remarks from the start of his campaign, Trump is the front-runner to clinch the Republican presidential nomination.

According to a CNN/ORC poll released last week, Trump has the support of 22 per cent people surveyed followed by Ben Carson with 14 per cent and Scott Walker with nine per cent.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is on the seventh spot while Indian-American Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is trailing on 12th position among a pool of 17 Republican candidates.