Washington: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has officially accepted Donald Trump's offer to join him on the Republican presidential ticket.
Pence says at an announcement event on Saturday in New York that Trump "is a great man and he will make a great president of the United States of America."
He says he was "honored" to accept the offer to join the ticket, because the country needs "strong Republican leadership" and because presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton can never be president.
Donald Trump says his selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate is one that will help him restore manufacturing jobs nationwide and protect religious freedom.
The presumptive Republican nominee spoke for nearly a half-hour Saturday as he introduced his pick for vice president, calling Pence onto the stage at the end.
Trump touted Indiana's falling unemployment rate and said that Pence would help his campaign and his potential administration protect the freedom of speech of religious institutions.
He also touted Pence's family and said the governor "looks good." He even noted that while Pence endorsed GOP rival Ted Cruz in Indiana's primary, the governor also praised Trump as he did so.
But while Trump says Pence's selection was partially driven by a desire to promote "party unity," Trump took a moment to attack the so-called "Never Trump" delegates attending next week's Republican National Convention.
He brags that they've been "crushed."
On Saturday, Donald Trump had presented running mate Mike Pence to the nation, hailing the Indiana governor as his "first choice" and "my partner in the campaign."
But he left no doubt in a sometimes awkward event that Pence's role will surely be as sidekick to the businessman-turned-reality-star-turned-politician at the top of the ticket. Glancing at notes, Trump lauded Pence's personal character and conservative credentials.
