Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has made a direct appeal to African-Americans to abandon the Democratic party and vote for him.

Speaking to an almost all-white audience at a rally in Michigan, Trump said: “Tonight, I’m asking for the vote of every single African-American citizen in this country who wants to see a better future.

"What do you have to lose? You're living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58% of your youth are unemployed - what the hell do you have to lose?"

He pledged to "produce" for African Americans, and vowed that if elected, he would claim over 95% of the community's vote at the end of four years.

Current polls suggest that just 2% of African-American voters say they will vote for Trump.

Hillary Clinton dismissed the New York billionaire's appeal as "so ignorant it's staggering".

Marlon D Marshall, director of state campaigns and political engagement for the Hillary for America campaign, said: "Donald Trump asks what the African-American community has to lose by voting for him.

"The answer is everything, from a man who questions the citizenship of the first African-American president, courts white supremacists, and has been sued for housing discrimination against communities of colour."

Marshall added that Trump painting the entire African-American community as living in poverty with no jobs shows he is "completely out of touch" with the community.

Trump was heavily criticised after he took days to distance himself from a former Ku Klux Klan leader who endorsed him.

African-American protesters have also been assaulted by Trump supporters on several occasions at rallies, and an investigation by the New York Times found that supporters frequently use racist language at meetings.