'America is far less safe – and the world is far less stable', since Hillary was put in charge of


Donald Trump made his bid for the presidency feel real on Thursday, urging Americans to propel him to the White House on a platform of crumpling up failing institutions and building new ones on the rubble.

Thousands of convention-goers cheered and shouted slogans: 'USA! USA!' and 'Build that wall!' – and a new one: 'Yes you will!' – as he read his script from a teleprompter and ad-libbed as he worked the crowd during the longest convention acceptance speech since 1972.

Entering to the theme song from the Harrison Ford movie ‘Air Force One,’ he heard wild cheers of ‘Trump! Trump! Trump!’ and accepted the nomination that America’s political establishment swore for a year and a half would be denied him.

More than an hour later, with balloons and confetti dropping and fireworks showing on giant video screens, the Republican presidential families – both those of Trump and of his running mate Mike Pence – joined him on stage.

In a 4,600-word speech to the Republican National Convention, the longest prepared text he's delivered since becoming a presidential candidate, Trump staked his claim on Americans' cravings for stability in a year full of terror attacks and anti-police ambushes.

'We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order,' he vowed, forecasting his residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington.

Donald Trump made his bid for the presidency feel real on Thursday, urging Americans to propel him to the White House on a platform of crumpling up failing institutions and building new ones on the rubble

The Republican nominee targeted all areas of society and his most hated political opponents - mainly Hillary Clinton as he stirred up a frenzy on the last night of the GOP Convention

The future's bright: Donald Trump is joined on stage by his mini-me 10-year-old son Barron, while his wife Melania is left, with Vice-Presidential nominee Mike Pence and his wife Karen to the right at the end of the mogul's epic speech

Proud dad: Father-of-five Trump places his hands on 10-year-old son Barron's shoulders after delivering his speech, while Melania and Eric Turmp, who spoke on Wednesday, look on at the balloon and confetti display

Family support: Trump embraces his youngest son Barron, making his first appearance at the convention, while Melania, who faced a plagiarism scandal on Monday after her speech, greeted her husband whose night appeared to go off without a hitch

Party time: More than 100,000 balloons fell from the ceiling, along with confetti as the Republican party ended a wild, raucous and sometimes controversial Convention in Cleveland

'The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country,' he said.

Midway through the speech, a protester tried to unfurl a banner that read: 'Build bridges, not walls.'

As law enforcement officers led her away, Trump riffed for an appreciative crowd: 'How great are our police? And how great is Cleveland?'

We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order

Trump continued his habit of blaming the status quo on President Barack Obama.

'The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon, and I mean very soon, come to an end,' he boomed. 'Beginning on January 20th of 2017, safety will be restored.'

'The irresponsible rhetoric of our president, who has used the pulpit of the presidency to divide us by race and color, has made America a more dangerous environment than frankly I have ever seen, and anyone in this room has ever watched or seen.

'This Administration has failed America’s inner cities. Remember: it has failed America’s inner cities. It’s failed them on education. It’s failed them on jobs. It’s failed them on crime. It’s failed them in every way and on every single level.'

'We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore,' he said. 'So if you want to hear the corporate spin, the carefully-crafted lies, and the media myths, the Democrats are holding their convention next week. Go there!'

Trump has staked his reputation, his truckloads of cash and his family name on a quixotic quest that still has one more towering hurdle – Hillary Clinton – standing between him and the Oval Office.

He brought a rhetorical steamroller to Cleveland, casting her as the principal reason the Middle East is in tatters, the ISIS terror army has found its way West, and American inner-cities are amped-up powder kegs.

He spoke for an hour and 16 minutes – 11 minutes longer than Bill Clinton's address at the 1996 Democratic Convention.

Believe him! Trump and Mike Pence, his VP nominee, center, are flanked by various family members, including, from left to right Eric Trump, Melania, Barron, Mike's wife Karen, daughter Charlotte, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

Celebrate good times: Delighted delegates are covered in confetti and balloons as Trump officially brought a close to this year's Republican National Convention after four wild days

Onwards and upwards: Trump seemed impressed by the baloons as they cascaded down from the ceiling above him

Mind blowing: Trump looked stunned as he was joined by wife Melania and Barron on his left and VP candidate Mike Pence on his right

TRUMP ATTACKS HILLARY AND WOOS BERNIE FANS

This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness. But Hillary Clinton’s legacy does not have to be America's legacy

'This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness,' he said. 'But Hillary Clinton’s legacy does not have to be America's legacy.'

'The problems we face now – poverty and violence at home, war and destruction abroad – will last only as long as we continue relying on the same politicians who created them in the first place.'

'America is far less safe – and the world is far less stable – than when Obama made the decision to put Hillary Clinton in charge of America's foreign policy,' Trump said.

At that, cries of 'Lock her up! Lock her up!' erupted, the week's unofficial anti-Clinton battle cry

'Let's defeat her in November. I am certain it is a decision he truly regrets,' he added.

'Her bad instincts and her bad judgment – something pointed out by Bernie Sanders – are what caused the disasters unfolding today,' he added.

Trump needs the support of independent-minded Sanders supporters who were alienated by Clinton's march to the Democratic nomination.

I have seen firsthand how the system is rigged against our citizens, just like it was rigged against Bernie Sanders – he never had a chance. Never,' Trump vented on Thursday.

'But his supporters will join our movement, because we will fix his single biggest issue: trade deals that strip our country of its jobs and strip us of our wealth as a country.'

'Millions of Democrats will join our movement,' he promised, 'because we are going to fix the system so it works fairly and justly for each and every American.

Trump also repeated his claim that Clinton 'wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment,' which guarantees the right to own firearms and other weapons for self-defense.

Balloons cascade down from the roof of the Quicken Loans Arena as the RNC draws to a close, ending on Trump's speech

Huge white orbs with stars were also thrown out into the crowd as Trump and his VP pick Pence looked over their supporters

Members of the crowd continue to celebrate as the confetti and balloons were sprayed from the arena ceiling

Entering to the theme song from the Harrison Ford movie ‘Air Force One,’ he heard wild cheers of ‘Trump! Trump! Trump!’ and accepted the nomination that America’s political establishment swore for a year and a half would be denied him. Before he spoke he embraced his daughter Ivanka in front of the packed Quicken Loans Arena

He held out his thumbs as he began his speech, based on the need to strengthen law and order. He then slammed Hillary Clinton's foreign policy record that has made America more 'dangerous'

The billionaire real estate mogul told the audience he is 'their voice' as they chanted his name during the showcase speech of the Republican National Convention

'We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order,' he vowed, forecasting his residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington

As he greeted his daughter Ivanka on stage, he held up his palms and prepared to congratulate her

'We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore,' he said. 'So if you want to hear the corporate spin, the carefully-crafted lies, and the media myths, the Democrats are holding their convention next week'

At one point of the speech, he made a weepy gesture with his hands as he looked on at the crowd

He brought a rhetorical steamroller to Cleveland, casting her as the principal reason the Middle East is in tatters, the ISIS terror army has found its way West, and American inner-cities are amped-up powder kegs

The businessman said his greatest compassion would be reserved for the United States' own struggling citizens

Trump also reinforced a central message about Clinton that has broken through to millions: that America's political system is 'rigged' by the power players he wants to depose

His eldest daughter Ivanka Trump introduced her father onto the stage with a passionate speech

The mother-of-three showed off a huge grin as she waved to the crowd and then stood behind the lectern to pay tribute to her father

Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it

PLEDGING TO STEAMROLL 'RIGGED' SYSTEM

Trump also reinforced a central message about Clinton that has broken through to millions: that America's political system is 'rigged' by the power players he wants to depose.

'Nobody knows the system better than me,' he proclaimed, drawing knowing laughs.

'Which is why I alone can fix it!'

'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,' he said.

'They’re throwing money at her because they have total control over every single thing she does. She is their puppet, and they pull the strings.'

He bashed Clinton on taxes, saying she 'plans a massive – and I mean massive! – tax increase' but 'I have proposed the largest tax reduction of any candidate who has declared for the presidential race this year – Democrat or Republican.'

'Middle-income Americans and businesses will experience profound relief, and taxes will be greatly simplified for everyone. I mean everyone.'

ON IMMIGRATION, THE ANTI-HILLARY

Americans want relief from uncontrolled immigration. Communities want relief. Yet Hillary Clinton is proposing mass amnesty, mass immigration, and mass lawlessness

Trump drew a stark line, too, between his aggressive posture toward illegal immigrants and Clinton's embrace of amnesties and refugees from Syria, whom he has claimed will be Trojan horses for terrorism.

'My plan is the exact opposite of the radical and dangerous immigration policy of Hillary Clinton,' he said.

'Americans want relief from uncontrolled immigration, which is what we have now. Communities want relief. Yet Hillary Clinton is proposing mass amnesty, mass immigration, and mass lawlessness.

'Her plan will overwhelm your schools and hospitals, further reduce your jobs and wages, and make it harder for recent immigrants to escape the tremendous cycle of poverty that they’re going through right now, and make it almost impossible for them to join the middle class.'

And he criticized her approach to energy policy, which focuses on wind, solar and other new technologies. Clinton has said she aims to force coal mines into obsolescence.

Trump, however, has won converts in Appalachia – and in key swing states Ohio and Pennsylvania – by defending fossil fuel extraction.

'We are going to lift the restrictions on the production of American energy,' he said Thursday. 'This will produce more than $20trillion in jobcreating economic activity over the next four decades.'

'My opponent, on the other hand, wants to put the great miners and steel workers of our country out of work and out of business – that will never happen when Donald J. Trump is president.'

'Our steelworkers and our miners are going back to work again!'

She was greeted with huge cheers from the crowd as she gracefully walked into the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland

A few moments later, her father walked out in the same fashion - clapping his hands to congratulate Ivanka on her kind words

The father and daughter shared a moment before Ivanka left the stage to watch from the stands with the rest of the Trump family

The stage glistened in red, white and blue as The Donald and his daughter Ivanka approached each other on the stage

He bashed Clinton on taxes, saying she 'plans a massive tax increase' but 'I have proposed the largest tax reduction of any candidate who has declared for the presidential race this year – Democrat or Republican'

Melania Trump sits alongside son Barron Trump before her husband, and the youngster's father takes to the stage

Ten-year-old Barron looked dapper as he made his first appearance at the Convention. His mother Melania is seen lovingly patting his arm

Melania waved to the crowd as she sat down after kissing step-daughter Tiffany Trump (right)

Tiffany then turned around and hugged her younger brother Barron in the stands

TRUMP'S JOURNEY – AND A LAST-MINUTE LEAK

All of the people telling you that you can't have the country you want were the same people telling you that I wouldn't be standing here tonight

The last 401 days of the billionaire's life led up to Thursday night, a trajectory that took him from New York City to Cleveland, Ohio – and nearly 200 places in between.

Accepting the Republican Party's presidential nomination marked the end of a journey few savvy political observers in the spring of 2015 thought he would take, fewer imagined he would survive – and hardly any comprehended that he could win.

'Remember,' he said Thursday: 'All of the people telling you you can’t have the country you want, are the same people that wouldn’t stand – I mean they said Trump doesn’t have a chance of being here tonight! Not a chance. The same people!'

'Ah, we love defeating those people, don’t we?' he asked as new roars swelled.

'Don’t we love defeating those people? Love it. Love it.'

In the Quicken Loans Arena, the house that NBA champion LeBron James built out of underdog grit, he made a case for himself as the second come-from-behind kid for fans to rally around.

The promises were familiar, but came fast and furious in a 76-minute address that a Democratic attack group linked with Clinton leaked hours before TV audiences heard it as he has every time an unforced error tripped him up, Trump plunged ahead and showed no sign of agitation beyond his normal exterior.

In another touching moment, Donald Trump Jr fist-pumped the youngster as they took their seats

The boy did however look slightly disinterested during parts of his father's speech, putting his head into his hands at one point

His mother gave him a look as he rose up from resting on his knees at the convention

There wasn't a seat left empty in the Quicken Loans Arena - the home of the NBA Championship-winning Cleveland Cavaliers - as Trump gave the most important address of his campaign so far

PROMISES APLENTY FROM THE DONALD

Trump pledged to repeal the Obamacare medical insurance program – 'You will be able to choose your own doctor again,' he said – and even to fix the much-maligned airport TSA.

We are going to be considerate and compassionate to everyone, but my greatest compassion will be for our own struggling citizens

He clarified his widely maligned 'Muslim ban,' reiterating that he would 'immediately suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism – until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place.'

And, he declared, in his best-known signature promise: 'We are going to build a great border wall to stop illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into our communities.'

'On January 20th of 2017, the day I take the oath of office, Americans will finally wake up in a country where the laws of the United States are enforced,' he said later.

'We are going to be considerate and compassionate to everyone, but my greatest compassion will be for our own struggling citizens.'

'ONE MORE CHILD TO SACRIFICE ON THE ALTAR OF OPEN BORDERS': THE TRAGIC 21-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE GRADUATE TRUMP USED TO HIGHLIGHT PROBLEM WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMMITTING CRIMES IN THE US Sarah Root was just 21 years old when she was killed in a street racing crash. The driver was drunk illegal immigrant Eswin Mejia, who fled the country hours later and hasn't been heard from since Sarah Root was just 21 years old when she was killed in a street racing crash. The driver was drunk illegal immigrant Eswin Mejia, who fled the country hours later and hasn't been heard from since. He killed Miss Root in Omaha Nerbaska on January 31, just a day after she graduated college with top grades, and endless ahead of her. The tragic and sickening case was highlighted by Donald Trump in his acceptance speech as one the many examples of foreigners crossing America's borders illegally and committing a horrific crime. It is one of the stories he has used in a bid to spark reform on the way the undocumented are detained for their crimes. Trump told the crowd: 'Nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records, ordered deported from our country, are tonight roaming free to threaten peaceful citizens. 'The number of new illegal immigrant families who have crossed the border so far this year already exceeds the entire total from 2015. 'They are being released by the tens of thousands into our communities with no regard for the impact on public safety or resources. 'One such border-crosser was released and made his way to Nebraska. There, he ended the life of an innocent young girl named Sarah Root. 'She was 21 years old, and was killed the day after graduating from college with a 4.0 Grade Point Average. Her killer was then released a second time, and he is now a fugitive from the law. 'I've met Sarah's beautiful family. But to this administration, their amazing daughter was just one more American life that wasn't worth protecting. 'One more child to sacrifice on the altar of open borders.' Sarah's family released a statement after their daughter was mentioned in the RNC speech: They said: 'We are very appreciative that Mr. Trump is speaking of our daughter. He & his staff have been very compassionate about what we have been going through & have tried to help however they can.' Mejia was arrested after the deadly crash, but was released on a $50,000 bond. He then fled the country while his family insisted that he no longer lived at home Mejia was arrested after the deadly crash, but was released on a $50,000 bond. He then fled the country while his family insisted that he no longer lived at home Advertisement

As in the past, the showy pol paired his Great Wall of Trump with policy promises focused on swifter deportations – instead of admitting aliens and court-docketing them – and dramatically tightening visa policies for visitors to the U.S.

'By ending catch-and-release on the border, we will stop the cycle of human smuggling and violence. Illegal border crossings will go down. We will stop it. It won’t be happening much anymore. Believe me. Peace will be restored.'

'By enforcing the rules for the millions who overstay their visas, our laws will finally receive the respect that they deserve.'

He paired trade challenges with a jobs program, pledging to restore lost employment by cracking down on trade-cheating nations.

'I am going to bring back our jobs to Ohio and Pennsylvania and New York and Michigan and all of America!' he said.

'And I am not going to let companies move to other countries, firing their employees along the way, without consequence,' Trump added, hintingat tariffs to come.

'Not gonna happen anymore.'

He promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and other multilateral deals – and to scrap the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

'Instead,' Trump said, 'I will make individual deals with individual countries.'

'No longer will we enter into these massive transactions with many countries that are thousands of pages long, and which no one from our country even reads or understands.'

From left: Eric Trump, his wife Lara, Ross Mechanic, his girlfriend Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr and his wife Vanessa

TRUMP THE POPULIST: 'I'M WITH YOU'

'I have had a truly great life in business,' Trump beamed. 'But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country – to go to work for you.'

Trump gouged at Democrat Hillary Clinton, who will accept her party's presidential nomination next week in Philadelphia.

'My opponent asks her supporters to recite a three-word loyalty pledge. It reads: "I'm With Her",' he mocked.

'I choose to recite a different pledge. My pledge reads: "I'm with you, the American people. I am your voice.'

'So to every parent who dreams for their child, and every child who dreams for their future,' he said, 'I say these words to you tonight: I am with you, I will fight for you, and I will win for you.'

'Every day I wake up determined to deliver for the people all across this nation that have been neglected, ignored, and abandoned.

'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. These are people who work hard but no longer have a voice.

'I am your voice.'

TRUMP FINDS RELIGION BUT IGNORES ITS BIGGEST ISSUE

Trump was at his most personable, and earned laughs for his trouble, by going off script.

His most self-effacing moment of the night came when he thanked evangelicals, whose unexpectedly strong support helped him beat back more conservative and more outwardly religious opponents like Senator Ted Cruz. Trump even brandished a bible as a display of his religiosity before the Iowa caucuses.

‘The support that [evangelicals have] given me – and I’m not sure I totally deserve it – has been so amazing'

‘At this moment, I would like to thank the evangelical and religious community,’ Trump said Thursday.

‘Because I’ll tell you what, the support that they’ve given me – and I’m not sure I totally deserve it – has been so amazing and has had such a big reason for me being here tonight.'

Trump’s rare flash of self-criticism brought out a hearty laugh from the crowd.

Thursday's speech notably did not include an abortion or right-to-life theme, despite party planks on the controversial topic going back decades.

It was left to Roger Gries, a Cleveland Diocese bishop emeritus, to clean up the omission with a benediction that put a premium on anti-abortion language.

Trump did promise elbow-grease to roll back a piece of America's tax code that has made social conservatives seethe.

‘An amendment pushed by Lyndon Johnson, many years ago, threatens religious institutions with a loss of their tax-exempt status if they openly advocate their political views,’ Trump said.

‘Their voice has been taken away. I am going to work very hard to repeal that language and to protect free speech for all Americans.'

THE DONALD'S UNCONVENTIONAL RIDE TO VICTORY

Trump spoke after his telegenic and composed daughter Ivanka, the face of his outreach to cautious and risk-averse female voters, introduced him.

'This is the moment, and Donald Trump is the person, to make America great again,' she said.

'He dug deeper, worked harder, got better and became stronger' in the face of challenges during theprimary election season.

'Now I am seeing him fight for our country,' she said proudly.

The Cleveland convention, like his unconventional ride to victory over 16 GOP rivals, was a spectacle of Donald, a constant reminder of how he has left his mark on U.S. elections – and perhaps changed it beyond any chance of returning to America's pale, stale politics.

The four-day circus saw open warfare waged by anti-Trump forces, largely loyal to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who staged an attempted coup-by-rulebook.

It saw a plagiarism scandal touched off by an aide who mistakenly spliced phrases from Michelle Obama's 2008 Democratic convention speech into one given by Trump's wife.

Her eyeball-popping public debut was marred by charges that made her both villain and victim.

It saw Trump himself making appearances every night, including one shining moment on stage with running mate Mike Pence that followed a low-altitude flyover in his custom Boeing 757 jet.

And it culminated with boos and catcalls for Cruz as the tea party senator abandoned a nearly year-old pledge to support whomever his party's rank-and-file chose to stage a pitched battle against Hillary Clinton, an ethically compromised former diplomat and first lady.

Trump himself couldn't have scripted a better reality TV show.

The 'Celebrity Apprentice' star wouldn't have it any other way, arguing that even accusations of word-theft lodged against would-be first lady Melania became good publicity for his gonzo campaign.

The millions of otherwise casually engaged voters who watched her speech to see what all the fuss was about made it so.

Like dozens of other gaffes, faux outrages and genuine missteps in the Trump chronicle, this one was a projectile dud that bounced harmlesslly off his diamond-tough armor.

TEFLON DON – NOTHING STICKS

Talk of religious litmus tests for immigration couldn't fell him. The spectre of criminal penalties for women who seek abortions was a momentary blip. A 'Star of David' digital tempest left him bobbing comfortably above water.

Even an opening gambit that cast some Mexican illegal immigrants as rapists and murderers, though it had staying power, ended up helping him in the light of sober evidence and an endorsement from thousands of border patrol agents.

As media clung to him like moths on a searchlight, he mocked their relentless attention – daring to call the gatekeepers to the American public dishonest, disingenuous and dishonorable.

Reporters shook their heads in dismay as voters agreed. They adjusted to the new normal when he grew stronger with each mini-scandal.

'Nothing matters,' they would say among themselves. That line became a quiet slogan as the journalists jockeyed with each other for the next interview, the next live-shot, the next rope-line question.

Trump, one editor told DailyMail.com in December, long before any primary votes were cast, had become 'box office gold.'

He could change the subject at will, calling directly into TV network news control rooms to book himself with grateful morning-show producers.

In mere minutes the latest taint became a bank-shot to attack 'Liddle Marco,' 'Low energy Jeb' or 'Lyin' Ted.'

Trump still has 110 days left to complete Mrs. Clinton's rebranding as 'Crooked Hillary.'

Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump applaud Thiel at the Republican National Convention after his rousing address

PayPal founder Peter Thiel drew huge cheers from the crowd when he proudly said he was gay, a Republican and an American

Ready for the big show: Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, who was touted as a potential running mate for Trump, speaks to reporters prior to the big show

Down with Hillary! A delegate dressed up as Hillary Clinton in what appears to be a Guantanamo Bay-style jumpsuit, is accosted by another delegate on the floor as Republicans build up to the big moment

Make America Great Again: Delegates stand for the Pledge of Allegiance during the opening of the evening session, which will see the likes of Peter Thiel, Ivanka Trump and finally the Republican nominee Donald Trump

Voice of an Angel: Heavenly Joy, aged six, wows the crowd on the final night of the convention with a rendition of 'America the Beautiful' that far more powerful than her little lungs should muster