Washington: Less that 24 hours after a speech which some of his supporters took as proof that Donald Trump was indeed presidential material, the GOP candidate suggested that American gun owners should shoot Hillary Clinton.

At a rally in North Carolina, Trump warned a cheering crowd that Clinton was determined to abolish their constitutionally protected right to bear arms.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the second amendment; and by the way, and if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I dunno."

Trump knows that Clinton is a defender of the second amendment, but by adding the word 'essentially' he can claim to have qualified the preceding statement of fact – "Hillary wants to abolish…"