United States President Donald Trump has disbanded two high-profile business advisory councils after corporate CEOs quit in protest over his remarks blaming violence in Charlottesville, Virginia not only on white nationalists, but also on the protesters who opposed them.

Key points: Donald Trump has scrapped two high-profile business advisory councils

Donald Trump has scrapped two high-profile business advisory councils Several executives quit over Mr Trump's response to the violence in Charlottesville

Several executives quit over Mr Trump's response to the violence in Charlottesville Mr Trump was widely condemned for saying anti-racism protesters were as much to blame as white nationalists

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A parade of prominent Republicans — and US ally Britain — rebuked Mr Trump after his comments about the weekend's bloodshed further enveloped his seven-month-old presidency in controversy and paralysed his policy aims.

Mr Trump announced the break-up of the advisory councils after 3M chief executive officer Inge Thulin became the latest of several chief executives to leave Mr Trump's American Manufacturing Council, and the President's Strategic and Policy Forum broke up of its own will.

"Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both," President Trump wrote on Twitter.

In his resignation from the manufacturing council yesterday, posted on Twitter, AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka said it had failed to help working families.

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"It's clear that President Trump's Manufacturing Council was never an effective means for delivering real policy that lifts working families and his remarks today were the last straw," he said.

"We joined this council with the intent to be a voice for working people and real hope that it would result in positive economic policy, but it has become yet another broken promise on the President's record.

"From hollow councils to bad policy and embracing bigotry, the actions of this administration have consistently failed working people."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Ohio Governor John Kasich, Senator Lindsey Graham, former US presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush, and others have taken aim at the remarks made by Mr Trump that worsened deep divisions within a Republican Party that controls both chambers of Congress and the White House.

"America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms," Bush Snr and Jnr said in a statement.

A former senior Trump administration official raised the prospect that some White House officials could quit because of Mr Trump's comments.

"If you have some high-profile individuals leaving, you may have a whole host of high-profile individuals leaving," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In London, British Prime Minister Theresa May offered a rare rebuke of Mr Trump by one of the US's closest foreign allies.

"I see no equivalence between those who propound fascist views and those who oppose them and I think it is important for all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views wherever we hear them," Ms May said when asked to comment on Mr Trump's stance.

Ms May has been widely criticised by political opponents in Britain for her efforts to cultivate close ties with Mr Trump since he took office in January.

Vice-President Mike Pence, who is cutting short a trip to Latin America, said at a news conference in Chile, "I stand with the President".

Reuters