Republicans and Democrats in the United States alike have found rare common ground following the violent rally in Charlottesville that left one woman dead.

A majority people in both parties say that the car attack on counter protesters was an “act of domestic terrorism”. That includes 73 per cent of Democrats, 51 per cent of Republicans, and 63 per cent of independents, according to a CBS News poll.

But when it comes to President Donald Trump’s response to the attack — and his description of who’s to blame — the American public is once again polarised. Of Republicans, 67 percent approve of how the President handled the situation, compared to 10 percent of Democrats and 32 percent of independents. Just 22 per cent of Republicans disapprove of his response, compared to 82 per cent of Democrats, and 53 per cent of independents.

Mr Trump has been criticised widely in the news media for his responses to the Charlottesville attack. On Saturday, the day of the attack, the President condemned the “display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.” With criticism continuing to mount, the White House released a statement Sunday saying: “The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred… Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK Neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.” But the statement from the White House fell short of the media’s expectations of a clear and strong condemnation of those groups coming directly from the President. So, the President on Monday denounced the groups directly, and said that members of those groups who take part in violence are “criminals and thugs” in a statement from the White House.

But, the President on Tuesday appeared to roll back that condemnation during off-the-cuff comments to reporters after announcing infrastructure. In those remarks, he appeared to defend keeping Confederate memorials in place, and compared Confederate generals to American forefathers.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.