Donald Trump accepts Republican nomination

Donald Trump accepts Republican nomination

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has officially accepted his party's backing to take on presumptive rival Hillary Clinton.

Mr Trump addressed thousands of the party faithful on the last day of the Republican National Convention in Ohio.

"Friends, delegates and fellow Americans: I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

"Together, we will lead our party back to the White House, and we will lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace."

But his speech wasn't full of surprises - hours before he started speaking, a draft version of his speech was leaked online.

In it, he attacked Ms Clinton and her foreign policy background and also focused on violence in the US.

"After four years of Hillary Clinton, what do we have? ISIS has spread across the region, and the world.

"This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction and weakness."

He said to keep the US safe, it needed to keep its borders secure.

"Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens."

He talked of the recent killings of police officers in Dallas and in Baton Rouge, saying an attack on law enforcement is "an attack on all Americans".

"I have a message to every last person threatening the peace on our streets and the safety of our police: when I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order our country.

"I am the law and order candidate."

He also spoke about reforming the American economy and spoke as an outsider, saying Ms Clinton would keep the country on the same path.

"Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent because they know she will keep our rigged system in place. They are throwing money at her because they have total control over everything she does. She is their puppet, and they pull the strings."

He painted himself as a man of the people.

"I have visited the laid-off factory workers, and the communities crushed by our horrible and unfair trade deals. These are the forgotten men and women of our country. People who work hard but no longer have a voice.

"I am your voice."

He claimed Ms Clinton's biggest rival Bernie Sanders "never had a chance" because the system was "rigged" against him.

Mr Trump also claimed those who 'felt the Bern' would flock to his camp instead.

Preceding Mr Trump's speech, his daughter Ivanka introduced him. A year ago, she'd announced his candidacy for president.

"For more than a year, Donald Trump has been the people's champion, and tonight, he is the people's nominee."

She praised him as a "fighter" who got better and became stronger through the "tough" primary race in which he was facing 16 other candidates.

"I have seen him fight for his family, I have seen him fight for his employees, I have seen him fight for his company, and I am seeing him fight for our country."

She spent much of the speech detailing Mr Trump's career as a businessman and real estate mogul.

"When Donald Trump is in charge, all that counts is ability, effort and excellence. This has long been the philosophy at the Trump organisation."

She claimed there were more female than male executives, and women are paid the same as men in Mr Trump's company.

Newshub.