Committed to serving people: Trump says after accepting nomination for presidency

Milwaukee, July 19 (PTI) Donald Trump accepted the presidential nomination from the Republican Party and called for unity as he recounted details from the failed attempt on his life and outlined key campaign promises to fix the economy and immigration.

The 78-year-old former president's acceptance speech on Thursday night at the four-day Republican National Convention was his first public address since he survived an attempt to assassinate him at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last week.

"I am not supposed to be here tonight. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God. Many people say it was a providential moment," Trump said, recounting the assassination attempt on him.

"The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be with you tonight," he said.

While the Republican delegates had already nominated Trump on Monday as the party's candidate in the November 5 presidential election, the former US president formally accepted his third nomination on Thursday in a record-breaking 93-minute address.

"I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America. So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States," he said, amidst loud applause from his supporters.

"I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength, and hope. Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country," he said, referring to the contest he will have against his Democratic Party rival, incumbent President Joe Biden.

"If you took the ten worst presidents in the history of the United States… (and) added them up they will not have done the damage that Biden has done,” Trump claimed, the only time he mentioned Biden by name.

With proper leadership, every disaster the country was now enduring will be fixed—and fixed quickly, Trump said.

"So tonight, whether you’ve supported me in the past or not, I hope you will support me in the future because I will bring back the American Dream," he said.

On immigration, a hot topic in the election, Trump said his administration will go all out to keep the country's borders safe.

“To keep our families safe, the Republican Party promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.” He emphasised that there was a "massive invasion" at America's southern border that has spread misery, crime, poverty, disease, and destruction to communities.

"I will end the illegal immigration crisis by closing our border and finishing the wall, most of which I have already built," he said.

Regarding the economy, Trump said, under his presidency, America had the "most secure border and the best economy in the history of our country." "We had no inflation, soaring incomes, and the world was at peace. But in less than four years, our opponents have turned incredible success into unparalleled tragedy and failure," he alleged.

He said that Americans were being "squeezed out of the labour force and their jobs taken. Inflation has wiped out the life savings of our citizens, and forced the Middle Class into a state of depression and despair." "We cannot, and will not, let this continue. Less than four years ago, we were a great nation, and we will soon be a great nation again," he said.

He said America has long been taken advantage of by other countries, often being considered to be its allies. "We lose jobs and revenue, they gain everything, and wipe out our businesses. I stopped it four years ago, and I will stop it again. We will not let countries come in, take our jobs, and plunder our nation," he said.

"I will end the devastation inflation crisis immediately, bring down interest rates and lower the costs of energy. We will drill, baby, drill.” Trump said he will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, colour, and creed.

"The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart," Trump warned.

“Tonight, I ask for your partnership, for your support, and I am humbly asking for your vote. Every day, I will strive to honour the trust you have placed in me, and I will never let you down," Trump said.

"To all of the forgotten men and women who have been neglected, abandoned, and left behind, you will be forgotten no longer. We will press forward, and together, we will win, win, win," he said.

Together, he said, "we will save this country, we will restore the Republic, and we will usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people truly deserve.” On international policy, Trump said, “I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created. Including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine, which would have never happened if I was president. And the war caused by the attack on Israel, which would have never happened if I was president.” Trump said he was the first president in modern times to start no new wars.

“There was peace in Europe and the Middle East. Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing," he claimed.

Trump said the "disastrous" US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2022, emboldened Russia to invade Ukraine.

“Now China is circling Taiwan, and Russian warships and nuclear submarines are operating 60 miles off our coasts in Cuba, and the media doesn’t want to talk about it,” he said.

“America is on the cusp of a new Golden Age, but we must have the courage to seize it,” Trump said.