Arizona's governor Doug Ducey will greet him at the airport but not attend Donald Trump's political rally in the state, amid fears the event could attract groups seeking violence.

Mr Ducey's spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said in a statement that the governor's "focus has been working with law enforcement toward a safe event in downtown Phoenix...That will continue to be his priority during the event and afterwards."

Mr Ducey has in the past been a huge supporter of the President in the staunchly Republican southwerstern state. However, fellow Republicans and Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake's criticism of Mr Trump's comments after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia may have changed that.

The President's commented that "many sides" were responsible for the violence in Charlottesville and that there were "innocent" people on the side of neo-Nazis and the Klu Klux Klan who were simply there to preserve their heritage through keeping the statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E Lee intact.

Mr McCain, who is undergoing cancer treatment in Arizona, tweeted afterwards that: "there's no moral equivalency between racists [and] Americans standing up to defy hate [and] bigotry. The President of the United States should say so."

Mr Flake, for his part, has been a consistent critic of Mr Trump and it prompted the President to wade into Arizona state politics and favour Mr Flake's opponent - another reason Mr Ducey may be avoiding the rally.

Over 6,000 people have indicated an intention to attend the rally, according to the Arizona Republic newspaper.

Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said the department would have "maximum staffing" for the rally as anti-fascist, anti-right wing, and pro-Trump supporters number among the attendees.

Mr Ducey also has reason to avoid attending the rally if Mr Trump decides to pardon Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted for running police patrols illegally racially profiling and targeting Mexican and Latin American immigrants in Arizona.

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.

Some in the state see that as a potential point of embarrassment for the governor.

Mr Trump won the state in the 2016 election by a smaller margin than previous Republican presidential candidates. He is expected to speak about illegal immigration and the border wall during a pre-rally visit to a US marine corps base on the US-Mexico border.

Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego critcised Mr Ducey's decision: “It’s not a coincidence at all that instead of showing leadership, Governor Ducey is running away and running away as fast as possible."