Trump, 57, was officially selected as the Republican US presidential nominee on July 19. The move came as a shocker for a man who once was ripped apart for his ambitions.
After a heated campaign that saw Trump defeat 16 rivals and flatten party opposition, the tycoon said it was time to beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in November.
Trump’s name was formally nominated by an early backer, Senator Jeff Sessions. Two elected officials who were first to support his candidacy seconded his nomination.
Clinton, however, wasted no time in seeking to capitalise on Trump`s party victory. “Donald Trump just became the Republican nominee. Chip in now to make sure he never steps foot in the Oval Office,” she said, in a fundraising tweet.
When the billionaire, whose election campaign defied political norms—mouthing racist comments, offending voters, depending on media coverage above campaign structure—came down the stairs of Trump Towers in New York more than a year ago to announce his candidacy.
Trump`s victory was far from welcomed at the convention floor. Many delegates merely clapped at his victory, while some more angrily walked out. Addressing the convention, Trump appeared on a video screen from New York promising to win the polls in November, safeguard US borders, create jobs, restore law and order and strengthen the military in the US.
The Trump campaign will hope that disdain for Clinton will unite the party and make a series of stumbles irrelevant. “We are united. There isn’t one vote for Hillary Clinton in this building. People are ready for a change,” said Trump lieutenant Corey Lewandowski, according to Zee News.
While this was so, his wife Melania Trump brought some zing to the proceedings on the opening night. An embarrassing plagiarism charge tarnished her prime-time speech, which contained passages of Michelle Obama convention speech delivered in 2008.
