The speech that Trump should give

OPINION:

My fellow Americans, for the third time in my life, I am honored to accept the nomination of the Republican Party to be the next president of the United States.

I was almost killed by an assassin last week. It is only through the grace of God that I wasn’t. Although the experience changed me, it hasn’t changed who I am, what I believe or my love for this great country. I still strongly believe we need to focus on the future, not the past, and move forward as a country together.

I encourage all Americans to join us in our crusade to make the nation we all love as great, prosperous and free as it can be. Make no mistake: It will take all of us — Republicans, Democrats, independents, men and women, old and young — working together to realize our true potential for national greatness.

We can no longer afford to be split into camps or factions by those who profit from our divisions or differences. We must move forward together and finally, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, be all one thing or another, regardless of race, gender or religion.

I know that Americans have greatness etched into their spirit. This nation has always drawn the most energetic and determined people to its shores. Today is no different. The great American entrepreneurial and fighting spirit is as strong now as it has ever been.

We need to solve the economic problems that have hurt so many Americans over the past four years. Corrosive inflation has meant that people make less in real wages than they did four years ago. Real wages rose when I was president. Because of inflation triggered by unnecessary government spending, real wages have gone down on the watch of our Democratic competitor.

We need to secure our southern border, where almost 10 million people have entered the country illegally in the last 42 months. If you don’t have a border, you’re not a country. For the sake of our working families, for the sake of the next generation, and for the sake of our nation’s security, we need to make sure that only the people here legally are able to stay here.

We need to reform and reduce our bloated government bureaucracy. Many federal employees are reliable, hardworking and trustworthy. Some, however, have lost their way. We need to ensure that the federal bureaucracy is responsive to elected officials and that, when they make mistakes, there are ways to correct them swiftly.

Most importantly, we need to bring an end to the politics of personal destruction. It doesn’t matter who started any particular fight or which side has been more vicious. I’m certain — like every right-thinking American — that it has gone on long enough and needs to stop before it leads down a dark path.

Accordingly, I am committing that, if elected president, I will issue pardons to federal law enforcement community members who come forward and acknowledge that they may have committed crimes, as well as any member of President Biden’s team who asks for a pardon.

Similarly, as president, I will also immediately commute the sentences of all nonviolent Jan. 6 defendants, as well as grant pardons to any member of my first administration who asks for one.

I realize this may not be popular with everyone, but the only way we can move forward as a nation is together, and the only way that can happen is if wrongs are admitted, acknowledged and forgiven.

I call upon and encourage all Americans to join with us in making the nation better, stronger, safer, more free and more prosperous. I call upon all Americans to demand and work for a government worthy of its people; a government that dispenses justice fairly, swiftly and impartially; a government that lives within its means and does not burden future generations with debt; a government that defends our borders; and a government that seeks victory in those rare moments when conflicts with our adversaries are unavoidable.

I call upon and encourage all Americans to reconsecrate our nation to freedom of expression and to rediscover our ability to disagree without being hateful, to find the truth without fear or favor, and to reestablish the willingness to listen to other voices without anger.

To borrow again from President Lincoln, if we stand firm, resolute and faithful, the result is not doubtful. We shall not fail.

I want to thank everyone here again for their confidence in me. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

• Michael McKenna is a contributing editor at The Washington Times. He has worked in the Reagan, Bush and Trump administrations.