Donald Trump's RNC Speech Leaked Hours Early

On the last night of the Republican National Convention, official nominee Donald Trump was the man of the hour. His speech would signal his acceptance of the GOP's nomination and lay out his campaign platform for the next leg of the election. When Trump's RNC speech transcript was allegedly leaked hours before his primetime speaking slot, readers got an advance glimpse of his remarks, which touted "Americanism" over globalism and his campaign over Hillary Clinton's.

The transcript of Trump's lengthy primetime speech popped up on the websites of several news outlets, including POLITICO, The Hill, and Vox, even before the RNC had been called to order on Thursday evening. The remarks, as published prior to his speech, touched on the expected issues, such as immigration and the economy. Trump apparently planned to criticize Clinton and even give a nod to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

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. I am certain it is a decision he truly regrets. Her bad instincts and her bad judgment — something pointed out by Bernie Sanders — are what caused the disasters unfolding today.

According to the leaked remarks, Trump would vow to renegotiate trade deals with China and other countries, as well as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He would also speak of a rigged system in Washington, D.C. "Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it," Trump would reportedly say.

Trump's speech wasn't scheduled to occur until around 10 p.m. on Thursday night. He'd be introduced by his older daughter and closest advisor, Ivanka. The transcript that preempted Trump's primetime address didn't offer many surprises. If there was one surprise, it would be that Trump's speech read as something that would likely appease much of the Republican Party. In that sense, Trump's leaked remarks seemed like they'd be able to do what they were meant to do: to unify the deeply divided GOP ahead of the general election campaign.

Although Trump's speech circulated online and at the convention before its delivery, the leak might not draw much attention away from Trump's time on the stage. The unconventional nominee has become known for speaking off the cuff and saying whatever comes to mind. It's one of the most common criticisms levied against him, but the possibility for Trump to go off-speech likely kept many viewers waiting for his speech to be delivered live.