Trump cautions that it’s early. But for the first time in his life, he’s preparing to potentially put his business work on hold. Behind the scenes, he’s examining how his family could manage his operations on an interim basis, should he decide to run.

“From a business standpoint, I have fabulous children who I’ve taken into the business,” Trump explains. “They know what they’re doing. So the business wouldn’t be the thing that stops me.”

That’s a big change from two years ago, when Trump was riding high in the Republican presidential primary polls. Looking back, he says it was his corporate and television work that stopped him from jumping in; he wasn’t ready to take a leave of absence.