American comedian and political commentator​ Bill Maher has warned the US is heading for “civil war” if Democrats do not embrace Donald Trump supporters during this year’s general election.

The host of HBO’s Real Time made his plea for the party to reach across the divide while interviewing Nancy Pelosi on the prime time show.

“You can hate Trump, but you can’t hate [his followers],” he said. “That way lies civil war.”

The 63-year-old’s comments followed an early broadside against the president.

“This is it, this is the year, this is 2020,” he said. “This is where it has to happen, where we have to desperately get rid of this man. He needs to be removed. There’s only three ways he goes: impeachment, election or fried chicken. And I don’t have faith in the first or the third.”

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Ms Pelosi, herself, was in similarly scathing mood during the meeting on Friday night’s show.

The Speaker of the House – the most powerful Democrat in Washington – told the anchor: “Here’s what I do worry about: our country, in its greatness, can absorb one term by the present occupant of the White House. Not two terms.”

Of the current impeachment proceedings, she added: “Impeachment is forever. No matter what the Senate ever does, it can’t be erased.”

And in a line one suspects may have been dreamed up beforehand, she said that, if written today about Mr Trump, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s famous Watergate book would have had to have a different title.