Donald Trump used the word 'rape' to describe America's trade deficit with China during a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Sunday night.

The Republican frontrunner, who has lashed out at 'politically correct' speech in the past, told supporters: 'We cannot continue to allow China to rape our country. And that's what they're doing.'

While the bombastic billionaire has often attacked the U.S.-Chinese trade deficit, the Fort Wayne rally marks the first time in recent history he has chosen to use the word 'rape' to describe it.

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Donald Trump accused China of carrying out 'the biggest theft in the history of the world' over the U.S. trade deficit, comparing it to 'rape' in a typically inflammatory speech

According to CNN, Trump has used the inflammatory term to describe the deficit once before, back in 2011, as he toured a defense manufacturer in New Hampshire.

While the remark is likely to play well to Trump's base of supporters who appreciate his willingness to say things other candidates will not, it is unlikely to play well with women, a category where he is badly lacking support.

Trump has already made missteps with female voters, particularly when he said women who have abortions will be punished under his administration, before later backtracking on the comment.

An endorsement from Mike Tyson, the former world heavyweight boxer who was convicted of rape in Indiana, has also provided ammunition for Trump's rivals.

While the current frontrunner lauded Tyson as a 'strong guy', Ted Cruz went on the attack, saying: 'I don't think rapists are tough guys. I think rapists are weak, they're bullies and they're cowards.'

Addressing the crowd in Indiana ahead of the state's primary on Tuesday, Trump added: 'We're going to turn it around. And we have the cards, don't forget it.

'We're like the piggy bank that's being robbed. We have the cards. We have a lot of power with China.'

In a familiar tone to his previous speeches, Trump then went on to say he didn't blame China for the deficit, but laid the blame with America's leaders who he branded 'grossly incompetent'.

Trump has accused China, among other countries, of 'killing' the U.S. on trade, saying they have deliberately devalued their currency to make sure export markets favor them.

This is not the first time Trump has described the deficit in such terms, using the word 'rape' once before back in 2011 as he toured a defense manufacturer in New Hampshire

The trade deficit is a measure of the value of goods America exports to China, versus the value of goods coming back the other way.

While the U.S. shipped around $9million worth of goods to China per month throughout 2015, China returned an average of $40million worth per month, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Over the course of last year that led to a trade deficit in excess of $365million, while the total this year has already reached almost $60million.

Trump is widely expected to win Indiana, a state once led by Ted Cruz, after a poll released on Sunday showed him with a 15-point lead ahead of voting.

However, Cruz has vowed not to give up on Indiana, saying he is 'barnstorming' the state in a campaign bus with his wife ahead of polling.

A resounding win for Trump would put him in prime position to secure close to the required 1,237 delegates ahead of the Republican convention, giving his candidacy a clear head-start in subsequent rounds of voting.

Acknowledging this, Cruz has described Indiana as a 'crucial' battleground for his campaign, though stopped short of calling it a 'must-win'.