Trump declares 'incredible victory', vows his return will restore democracy

Donald Trump predicted an "incredible victory" in accepting the Republican presidential nomination from a party euphoric over his escape from assassination and buoyed by the apparent implosion of Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

"We will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country," Trump, 78, said at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Friday.

It was his first speech since a 20-year-old man shot at him, causing a wound to one ear and killing a bystander during a rally last weekend.

In an emotional retelling of the shooting, where Trump said he had "God on my side," the ex-president asked for a moment of silence to honor the victim, firefighter Corey Comperatore. Before a hushed crowd, he kissed the slain firefighter's helmet on the stage.

Trump took the stage to chants of "USA" from a crowd which has spent the week talking of him in near-divine terms.

"Tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States," Trump said Thursday during his speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“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,” he said.

Warm-up acts included shirt-ripping 1980s wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and conspiracy theorist and far-right media guru Tucker Carlson, who described Trump's survival as a historic moment.

Promising to complete a wall on the US-Mexican border, Trump said an "invasion" of immigrants had brought "destruction" and "misery" to a "nation in decline."

He vowed to end Biden's massive spending on fighting climate change, calling it a "scam."

He again made his false claim that Democrats cheated in his defeat to Biden in the 2020 election. And, despite aides promising that Trump would not even say Biden's name in the speech, Trump did refer to his opponent and "the damage" he has done.

Trump flips script

Despite a torrent of impeachments and court cases, Trump is on the rise in polls ahead of November.

Now, with Republicans more in step behind him than ever, he is bullish about a shock return to power.

Attempting to flip the script on accusations that he intends to rule as an authoritarian leader, Trump insisted that he is "the one saving democracy" and referred to his criminal investigations as "witch hunts."

"We must not criminalise dissent," he said.

Trump's love-fest in Milwaukee contrasted with the crisis engulfing Biden, 81.

The Democratic president looked close late Thursday to being forced by his own party to withdraw and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris or another candidate, as fears spiral that his faltering physical health will lead to a loss in November.

Trump's family was in attendance, with son Eric rousing the crowd into a chant of "fight, fight, fight!"

Trump's wife Melania arrived to applause at the convention.

Trump in the lead

With Biden still reeling from the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance against Trump last month, polls show a gap gradually opening in the long-close race.

The Republican campaign has even been talking up Trump's chances in Democratic strongholds like Minnesota and Virginia.

This week also saw Trump name right-wing Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate.