He also claimed that his personal abilities in the board room and at the negotiating table would put him in a position to save billions from the federal budget, buoy up industry and divert wealth worldwide into American pockets.
Among his big promises were pledges to create millions of jobs, make America rich and defeat its enemies overseas, among which he included economic rivals like China, Japan and Mexico as well as armed combatants like ISIS.
'We need somebody that literally will take this country and make it great again. We can do that,' said Trump in his speech.
I will be the greatest jobs president God ever created.
'Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for president of the United States, and we are going to make our country great again.'
Trump staffers sent out his speech in advance to reporters, but the candidate himself seemingly went off-script for most of the delivery, clocking in at 55 minutes after numerous digressions, anecdotes, jokes and jibes.
Joking 'I beat China all the time', Trump used his own record on business to illustrate how he'd deal with foreign governments.
Describing China as a bigger threat than ISIS and pointing out that Mexico is 'not our friend', Trump suggested that he'd levy huge taxes on foreign goods to prop up domestic production, as well as constructing a solid wall along the southern border.
