Trump gets enough delegates to be US Republican nominee

By Esra Kaymak Avci

WASHINGTON

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has reached the number of delegates needed to secure his party's nomination, media reports said Thursday.

According to a delegate count by The Associated Press, Trump has 1,238 delegates, one more than is required by the Republican party.

The news agency drew its conclusion after conducting a survey of undeclared Republican delegates.

The count is not official and Trump, his party’s only remaining candidate in the race, will not officially become the nominee until delegates vote at the Republican National Convention in July in Cleveland, Ohio.

In upcoming primaries early next month, Trump is expected to add to his already commanding delegate total.

The billionaire real estate mogul has received harsh criticism for his rhetoric and confrontational style on the campaign trail but has softened his tone after meeting with party leaders since becoming the apparent nominee.

On the Democrat side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are still racing toward the 2,383 delegates needed to secure that party’s nomination.

Standing at 2,305 delegates, Clinton's has all wrapped up the nomination as Sanders trails with 1,539 with 930 up for grabs in contests in June.

The Democrat party's nominee will be finalized in July at the party's convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.