Melania Trump (L), wife of Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, speaks at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. July 18, 2016 and Michelle Obama addresses the opening session of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 25, 2008 in a combination of file photos. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - A staff writer of the Trump Organization, the company owned by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, has claimed responsibility for inserting passages in a speech given at the Republican National Convention by Trump’s wife Melania that resembled parts of a 2008 speech by first lady Michelle Obama.

The woman, Meredith McIver, released a statement on Wednesday apologizing for using the language, which she said Melania Trump recited to her in a phone call, without checking to see how closely it matched Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention eight years ago.