PRESIDENT Donald Trump was nominated for a second term on Monday as the Republican National Convention got underway in Charlotte.

Trump secured the required 1,276 minimum number of delegates votes to clinch the ticket as he faces Joe Biden in the November presidential election.

The convention was conducted partly virtual and partly in-person after the US president made a surprise visit to the convention shortly after receiving the number of delegates needed for the nod.

In his speech, he launched an attack on Democrats and criticised the voting by email system.

“This is the most important election in the history of our country. This is the biggest if you want to really drive them crazy, you say 12 more years,” he said.

Trump’s campaign released a series of bullet-point goals, including a promise to “create 10 million new jobs in 10 months.

Vice President Mike Pence who addressed the convention just before Trump went over the 1,276 delegate threshold needed to win the nomination, told supporters America needed Trump for four more years.

“America needs four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House,” he said.

Trump is the first impeached president to be nominated for a second term, while President Bill Clinton was term-limited when he was impeached.

The 336 delegates had gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center, six from each state and territory, for the state-by-state roll call, while representatives from each state were granted roughly a minute to speak as they cast their votes to nominate Trump.

Delegates were instructed to wear a mask around the convention center and attendees were asked to get tested for the coronavirus before traveling to Charlotte. Each person was to receive another test upon arrival.

Republicans eventually settled on holding just the procedural portion of the convention in Charlotte. The bulk of the events, including the high-profile prime-time speeches, will take place in Washington.