Donald Trump - increasingly isolated and with a record low approval rating - has opened fire on two senior members of his own party who criticised his response to the deadly neo-Nazi-led violence in Charlottesville.

Still smarting from the controversy over his apparent reluctance to condemn the white supremacists behind much of the violence, Mr Trump posted a series of tweets criticising two senior senators. The first tweet was posted at around 6am.

“Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms Heyer,” he wrote.

“Such a disgusting lie. He just can’t forget his election trouncing.The people of South Carolina will remember.”

An hour later, after what has become a routine attack on the media, he then turned his attention to Jeff Flake, a senator from Arizona, who has criticised the President in a recent book, Conscience of a Conservative, in which he called on Republicans to stand up to Mr Trump if they felt he was damaging the party.

Mr Flake is running for reelection in 2018 and is being challenged by Kelli Ward, a physician and former Arizona state senator who had previously failed to unseat John McCain in the previous primary cycle.

Hundreds gather for Charlottesville vigil

“Great to see that Dr Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic,” said Mr Trump.

On Wednesday as fallout from Charlottesville grew, Mr Flake had tweeted: “We can’t claim to be the party of Lincoln if we equivocate in condemning white supremacy.”

Mr Graham, a senator from South Carolina, had previously issued a statement in which he said the President’s comments were threatening to divide the country.

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.

“Mr President, I encourage you to try to bring us together as a nation after this horrific event in Charlottesville. Your words are dividing Americans, not healing them,” he said in a statement.

“I, along with many others, do not endorse this moral equivalency. Many Republicans....will fight back against the idea that the Party of Lincoln has a welcome mat out for the David Dukes of the world.”

Mr Trump’s comments come as he appears as in increasingly isolated figure. A number of cable news shows reported that they all failed to find a Republican senator to appear before the cameras to defend Mr Trump’s comments.