Donald Trump speechwriter offers to quit amid plagiarism row at Republican Party convention

Row: Viewers expressed outrage after similarities were spotted in a speech made by Melania Trump to one made by Michelle Obama eight years previously
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Jamie Bullen21 July 2016

A Donald Trump speechwriter has admitted passages in a speech made by Melania Trump at the Republican Party convention were first made by Michelle Obama

Meredith McIver said she took the blame amid allegations of plagiarism which have dogged the opening days of the convention.

Mr Trump’s campaign strenuously denied the accusations for two days, describing them as “absurd”, before the admission emerged.

However, the writer added Mrs Trump knew the passages were from the first lady’s speech, which was delivered in 2008.

She said: “A person she has always liked is Michelle Obama. Over the phone, she read me some passages from Mrs Obama's speech as examples.

“I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech."

Ms McIver, co-author of some of Donald Trump's books, offered her resignation over the controversy but it was rejected by the Republican presidential nominee.

On Monday, sharp-eyed viewers expressed outrage over the similarities between a speech made by Mrs Trump to one given by the first lady eight years previously.

The passages in question came near the beginning of Mrs Trump's nearly 15-minute speech.

In one example, she said: "From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect."

Eight years ago, Mrs Obama said: "And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: like, you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, that you do what you say you're going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect."

Similar overlaps included how to convey to children that there is no limit to what they can achieve.

Mrs Trump's address was otherwise distinct from the speech that Mrs Obama gave when her husband was being nominated for president.

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