Surging Donald Trump signs Republican loyalty pledge

Washington, Sep 4: To the relief of the Republican establishment, the party's presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has signed a pledge to support the eventual party nominee and promising not to make an independent or third-party run. "I have signed the pledge," the real estate mogul declared Thursday waving an agreement requested by the Republican National Committee, at a packed news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan. Trump who had caused a degree of nervousness in the party establishment by his refusal to make that very pledge at the first Republican presidential debate on Fox News last month did so after meeting privately with RNC chairman Reince Priebus. Trump said he had decided to sign the pledge because the Republican Party in recent months has been "extremely fair" to him. "The RNC has been absolutely terrific over the last two month period and as you know, that's what I've wanted," Trump said. "I don't want to be treated any differently." Asked what he got in return for signing the paper, Trump responded: "assurance that I will be treated fairly." Analysts differed on the impact of the pledge on the Trump phenomenon.