Melania Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention has ignited controversy because it contained a section strikingly similar to words delivered at the Democratic convention in 2008 by the woman she hopes to succeed as USA first lady, Michelle Obama.

Mclver said she tried to offer Trump her resignation for the incident, but he refused.

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions opened the nominating process with a hearty endorsement of Trump, declaring him "a warrior and a victor".

Trump was put over the top in the largely symbolic vote by his home state of NY.

Trump afterward addressed the convention hall via video message, saying: "This is a movement ... but we have to go all the way'". He said awarding all the votes to Trump was the GOP's way "of trying to squash any dissent". But Hillary Clinton's campaign has already declared Pence the "most extreme" vice presidential candidate "in a generation". Democrats select their nominee at their own convention in Philadelphia next week.

A key testament to Trump's character will come from his son, Eric Trump. Donald Trump Jr. and his speechwriters saw the American Conservative article because it was about Trump and they plagiarized it for Trump Jr.'s speech.

"Congratulations, Dad, we love you", he said.

"They're not even sentences".

I think that's what they have to say, but the phrasing, the syntax, some of it's verbatim. She knew what she was doing. But the weeklong gathering pales in comparison to the scope of a president's responsibilities as head of the USA government. Their roars of outrage drew widespread coverage and distracted from party leaders' efforts to show unity, but still they lost.

Republicans here are already pointing to instances of plagiarism or cribbing: President Barack Obama lifting from a Deval Patrick speech, something pointed out quite vigorously by Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2008.

But the real problem is for Donald Trump himself. The businessman has survived numerous politically perilous moments that might have doomed other candidates.

And here he is the Republican nominee to the United States.

On Tuesday, under the headline "Make America Work Again", speakers at Cleveland's Quicken Loans basketball arena were meant to assail Democratic President Barack Obama's record on the economy during his almost eight years in power.

"John Kasich was never asked by me to be V.P. Just arrived in Cleveland - will be a great two days!"

The passage in question served as one of the most memorable from Donald Jr.'s address Tuesday night.

Donald Trump faces an embarrassing plagiarism scandal that tarnished his wife Melania's prime-time speech to a Republican national convention roiled by an opening day rank-and-file revolt. Both were expected to highlight a more personal side of their father than is often seen in public.

Even the people who might have seized an opportunity to criticize the Trump campaign brushed it aside, although they at least used different words.