He quoted his own initial public response to what happened in Charlottesville.

"This is what I said on Saturday: 'We're closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia,' - this is me speaking. 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence.' That's me speaking on Saturday, right after the event," he said.

In fact what he actually said on 12 August was: "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides."

Fit to lead?

James Clapper, the former US director of national intelligence and retired lieutenant general, openly questioned Trump's fitness to be president.

Mr Clapper described Mr Trump's address at a rally in Phoenix on Tuesday night as "downright scary and disturbing" and said that the president may be "looking for a way out".