TV preacher Pat Robertson has said the Las Vegas massacre was caused by disrespect for authority, including President Donald Trump.

Delivering a speech to camera during his Christian programme The 700 Club on Monday, the televangelist and conservative commentator blamed the mass shooting on critics of the Republican leader, along with protests during the national anthem and the country having no "vision of God".

Mr Robertson said: "Violence in the streets, ladies and gentleman — why is it happening?

"The fact that we have disrespect for authority; there is profound disrespect of our President, all across this nation.

"They say terrible things about him. It's in the news, it's in other places."

He continued: "There's disrespect now for our national anthem. Disrespect for our veterans, disrespect for the institutions or government, disrespect for the court system. All the way up and down the line — disrespect."

He also said a lack of "biblical authority" caused the atrocity, adding: "When there is no vision of God, people run amok."

At least 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured when 64-year-old Stephen Paddock shot at a crowd attending the Route 91 country music festival near the Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel. Authorities have said they have not yet discovered a motive for the attack.

Mr Robertson is best known for claiming Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for abortion and that Haiti's 2010 earthquake was caused by a "pact to the devil". In 2015, the Republican evangelist told a mother that God allowed her son to die because he could have grown up to be the next Adolf Hitler.

Mr Trump attracted criticism in July when he agreed to be interviewed by the right-wing commentator for a programme on the The Christian Broadcasting Network.

Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People scramble for shelter at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People carry a person at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People run from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after gun fire was heard David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A handout photo released via Twitter by Eiki Hrafnsson (@EirikurH) showing concertgoers running away from the scene (C) after shots range out at the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Eiki Hrafnsson Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People lie on the ground at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A man in a wheelchair is taken away from the Route 91 Harvest country music festival after hearing gun fire David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures People stand on the street outside the Mandalay Bay hotel near the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA/Paul Buck Las Vegas shooting – in pictures FBI agents confer in front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas police run by a banner on the fence at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival grounds after shots were fired David Becker/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures An injured person is tended to in the intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Boulevard after a mass shooting at a country music festival Ethan Miller/Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Metro Police officers pass by the front of the Tropicana hotel-casino after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A woman sits on a curb at the scene of a shooting outside of a music festival along the Las Vegas Strip AP/John Locher Las Vegas shooting – in pictures A cowboy hat lays in the street after shots were fired near a country music festival in Las Vegas Getty Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Las Vegas Metro Police and medical workers stage in the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard South after a mass shooting at a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Reuters/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus Las Vegas shooting – in pictures Sheriff Joe Lombardo (2-R) speaking during a press briefing in the aftermath of the active shooter incident on Las Vegas Boulevard EPA

Following the Las Vegas shooting – which was the most deadly in modern US history – right-wing fake news stories claiming that the shooter was a Democrat who opposed Mr Trump were circulated widely, boosted by Facebook and Google.