CLEVELAND --Donald Trump has accepted the Republican nomination for president. The New York billionaire formally became the GOP standard bearer Thursday night on the convention stage in Cleveland.
He will represent the Republican Party on the ballot in November.
"I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States," said Trump.
Trump began by saying 180,000 people who are in the United States illegally are a threat to the nation's safety. Trump told delegates at the Republican National Convention that, if he's elected president, he'll lead a country of "law and order.''
The promise was the first point the Republican presidential nominee made in his convention address.
He later waved off chants from the crowd of "lock her up'' about Hillary Clinton, and told GOP delegates: "Let's defeat her in November."
Trump blamed Hillary Clinton's "bad instincts" for disasters across the world and said his Democratic opponent has left a legacy of what he calls "death, destruction and weakness."
The Republican presidential nominee cited the spread of the Islamic State group, the deadly attacks on the American consulate in Libya and violence across Iraq and Syria. Trump said a change in U.S. leadership will change the world's challenges.
At one point a protester interrupted Trump's speech when a woman waving a banner started yelling more than 20 minutes into the Trump's remarks. The GOP presidential nominee paused for nearly a minute while waiting for police to remove her. The convention crowd chanted, “USA!” for much of the time as Trump stood silently at the podium.
When Trump began speaking again, he said: “How great are our police?” as authorities took the protester out of the arena.
Later in his speech, Trump accused America's first black president of dividing the nation along racial lines. The Republican presidential nominee is calling President Barack Obama's rhetoric on race "irresponsible."
Trump blamed Obama for making the country more dangerous and said the President "has used the pulpit of the presidency to divide us by race and color.''
Trump said he will turn what he believes are bad trade deals into great ones for the United States. And he says he'll never sign a trade agreement that hurts workers or diminishes freedom. The Republican presidential nominee also said he won't let U.S. companies relocate to other countries, laying off workers in the process, "without consequences.'' Trump said he'll negotiate deals with individual countries, rather than complex agreements involving many nations.
The Republican presidential nominee is breaking sharply with his party on trade. The GOP in the past has supported free trade agreements.
Donald Trump wrapped up his speech shortly after 10:30 p.m.
Ivanka Trump introduced her father Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.
Donald Trump's oldest daughter told the Republican National Convention that her father is a fighter.
She says she doesn't consider herself a Republican or a Democrat. Sometimes, she said, she has a tough choice picking a presidential candidate. But not this time.
"For more than a year, Donald Trump has been the people's champion. And tonight, he is the people's nominee," said Ivanka Trump.
She continued to say motherhood is creating a pay discrepancy for women, but said her father "will fight for equal pay for equal work."
Thomas Barrack Jr., an American private equity real estate investor and founder of Colony Capital hosted Donald Trump's first major fundraiser. He spoke to the crowd Thursday night, sharing a personal side of Trump.
"For over three decades, I have seen Donald up close and personal, as a great pal and business partner, across the spectrum of life's twists and turns. My purpose here in front of you today is to share a different side of Donald Trump, a side that is not always made visible by the press but one that becomes as clear as day when you move a little closer, beyond the glaring lights, and television cameras," said Barrack.
PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel had his turn in the spotlight at the Republican convention.
The Silicon Valley billionaire said Donald Trump's "Make America great again" slogan isn't about returning to the past but leading "us back to that bright future."
Thiel was the first person in a GOP convention speech to acknowledge being gay. He faced some blowback in Silicon Valley for backing Trump. The GOP nominee says he'd nominate Supreme Court justices who might overturn the decision legalizing gay marriage.
Thiel said he doesn't agree with every part of the party's policy platform. But he says what he calls "fake culture wars" only distract Americans from economic issues.
The GOP chairman had a new description for the Democratic Party. Reince Priebus called it the "party of the same old thing" during his speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.
He's planning to go after Democrat Hillary Clinton even more so than praising Republican nominee Donald Trump. Priebus said in prepared remarks that Democrats will "trot out the same old Democrats with the same old message running the same old candidate'' at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia.
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin spoke about unity to the crowd. The first woman elected to the job, Fallin earned the position through years of service to the people of her state.
"When I look back on my childhood, my America, I don’t see a perfect place. But we were united by a simple belief: that no matter who you were or where you came from, better days were just ahead for America," said Fallin.
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tenn. told the crowd that the country is in desperate need of leadership and that Donald Trump could fulfill that role.
"The last eight years have been a challenge, to our national and household budgets, our Constitution, to the men and women who give their lives and sacred honor to protect both. Donald Trump is a leader who has seen challenges, learned lessons, solved problems, delivered results. Some of our greatest leaders have been people who worked in the real world, know firsthand how cumbersome rules and unnecessary regulations get in the way of greatness. I want a president who knows leadership is not as it appears, but as it performs," she said.
Motivational Speaker Brock Mealer told the crowd that Donald Trump needs the help and support of everyone.
"I defied the odds, but I couldn't do it on my own. Donald Trump can’t do it alone either. He needs our help and support. Just as Michigan was willing to adopt a Buckeye, for a cause greater than ourselves, we can unite behind Donald Trump to Make America One Again."
Chants of "All Lives Matter" filled the arena at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Leading the chant was a pastor from South Carolina, Mark Burns. He says Donald Trump won't "pander" to one race. Burns also called on the GOP to listen to the problems of people in disenfranchised communities in the country. He says that more than anything, they want jobs.
The "All Lives Matter" chant is often used by conservatives to counter the Black Lives Matter movement, which has called attention to police violence against African-Americans.
The longtime and well-known sheriff of metropolitan Phoenix said his "most important mission'' is just beginning: electing Donald Trump to the White House.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a leading foe of illegal immigration. is praising Trump's immigration policies and support for law enforcement. Arpaio said Trump will "restore law and order" and put the interests of U.S. citizens first.
Just the mention of Trump's proposal to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border won cheers from the delegates at the Republican National Convention.
The head of the socially conservative Family Research Council promised to vote for Donald Trump. Tony Perkins was the first speaker on Thursday night's program at the Republican National Convention.
Perkins, who's also a Louisiana delegate, said Trump has demonstrated his commitment to religious conservative values through his promise to appoint conservative judges, his support for the GOP platform and the selection of running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Some social conservatives have expressed concerns about Trump's record on social issues. He has been married three times, publicly supports Planned Parenthood, and has struggled to demonstrate familiarity with the Bible.
New York Rep. Pete King said Donald Trump has more things to accomplish in his acceptance speech "than probably any other presidential nominee, because he's different from every person who has ever run."
He said that under his leadership, middle-income Americans "will experience profound relief, and taxes will be greatly simplified for everyone."
Trump says a combination of tax cuts and fewer regulations will allow trillions of dollars to flow into the country. He also says he'll improve the roads, bridges and other public works and that'll create more jobs.
On education, he promises to “rescue kids from failing schools” by giving parents more of a say in where they send their children.
Trump is also pledging that as president, he'll end "crime and violence" across the country.
Here's what he says: "The crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th, 2017, safety will be restored."
That's the day that President Obama's term ends. Trump says 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."
He blames her "bad instincts and her bad judgment" for causing "many of the disasters unfolding today."
Trump is promising to lower taxes, cut regulation and give parents more choice in selecting their children's schools.
Earlier in the afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators, including anarchists, anti-Muslim protesters, Bikers for Trump and those calling themselves pro- and anti-capitalist, gathered in Cleveland's Public Square on Thursday ahead of Donald Trump's star turn on the final night of the Republican convention.
Police on bicycles and on foot formed barriers to keep hostile groups apart as debates but no fighting broke out.
As with other demonstrations over the past four days, police were out in force to keep the peace, and Police Chief Calvin Williams was in the middle of it again, riding with a bike patrol unit in the square. Anti-Trump forces scheduled an evening rally in the square that was expected to draw a big crowd. Trump was set to accept his party's nomination Thursday night.
As of Thursday morning, police reported 23 protest-related arrests since Monday, well below what law enforcement officials had feared. Seventeen of the arrests came Wednesday, during a melee that erupted during a flag-burning outside an entrance to the convention arena.
Trump said on Thursday that Cleveland police were doing "an incredible job."
Early in the afternoon, about 150 protesters carrying signs saying "Ban All Trumps Not Muslims" and chanting "Love Trumps Hate" marched across a bridge leading into downtown.
FULL COVERAGE: 2016 Republican National Convention
-- Cruz 'Watching and Listening' --
Cruz did not back down Thursday, telling his home state delegation he won't vote for Hillary Clinton but making no promise to endorse Trump.
"I'll be watching and listening," Cruz said, but added: "I won't sit down, shut up, support the team."
Cruz and Trump have significant bad political blood between them. Trump nicknamed him, "Lyin' Ted" and implied that Cruz's father, Rafael, was somehow connected to President John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Trump also criticized the appearance of Cruz's wife, Heidi.
"I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father," Cruz said.
-- What's Next --
Democrats will host their convention next week in Philadelphia, with an announcement of Clinton's vice presidential pick expected as soon as Friday. Democrats familiar with the search say Clinton's campaign has focused on Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Labor Secretary Tom Perez.