Did NBC have a hand in talking Donald Trump out of running for presidency?

The 2012 presidential race dropped a handful of names, but among the biggest to represent the Republican Party was none other than Donald Trump.

Following much speculation, Trump finally noted that he will not run for president in May 2011. But why did the real estate mongrel and Celebrity Apprentice host opt out of the race? It has now been revealed that NBC bosses had a hand in talking Trump out of the race.

E! News reports that NBC Chairman Robert Greenblatt and NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Stalke, along with Paul Telegdy, President of Alternative and Late Night Programming, spoke out about Trump's often controversial behavior.

The three were questioned if they felt they needed to step in and ask Trump to back off as he has notoriously spoken out against not only President Barack Obama, but the Democratic party in general. Greenblatt explained, “That's a good question. I don't really know the answer to it. We live in this country where you can sort of say anything you want as long as you're not harming people. He's got a political belief system and we talk to him all the time, but I really don't think that what he's doing in his personal life is going to corrupt what's happening on the show.”

Greenblatt adds, “That said, if he sort of becomes somehow hurtful or says or does things that cross a line, I guess we would figure out what to do about that."