U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, who has cautioned fellow Democrats about stooping to Donald Trump's level with personal attacks on political opponents, had strong words for the Republican presidential nominee.

Speaking Sunday at an annual Democratic rally in southern Delaware, Coons called Trump "a thin-skinned reality TV star" and "a Cheeto-faced short-fingered vulgarian."[[393910901,C]]

Coons also described Trump as "a serial developer of casinos and beauty pageants" whose knowledge of Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, "seems so shallow as to shock the conscience."

In an email Monday confirming his remarks, Coons acknowledged that he had "diverted from my usual bipartisan tone" at the political rally.

Coons also noted that many world leaders have expressed concern about Trump, and that Trump may not understand that what he says and does has real consequences.