Apple's Tim Cook has become the latest top CEO to criticise Donald Trump's response to the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In an email to staff the tech boss said he "disagree[d] with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence" between racists and people who oppose them.

It comes after a number of business leaders quit Mr Trump's advisory panels, leading the President to declare on Twitter on Wednesday: "Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both. Thank you all!"

The departures by the chief executives of Intel, Merck, Under Armour, 3M and Campbell Soup followed Mr Trump's equivocal response to the racism and violence displayed in Charlottesville at the weekend.

Mr Trump faced widespread criticism after repeating his belief that blame for the clashes should lie with "both sides", including from within his own party from senior figures like Paul Ryan and Senator John McCain.

Not everyone protesting against the removal of Charlottesville's statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee was a neo-Nazi, Mr Trump said, and while "you had some very bad people in that group", there were also "some very fine people on both sides".

Mr Cook wrote: "Hate is a cancer, and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path. Its scars last generations. History has taught us this time and time again, both in the United States and countries around the world.

"We must not witness or permit such hate and bigotry in our country, and we must be unequivocal about it. This is not about the left or the right, conservative or liberal. It is about human decency and morality.

"I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights. Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans."

He said he had spoken with "many people at Apple who are saddened, outraged or confused" by the weekend's events, in which one woman was killed and many others injured when a car ploughed into counter-demonstrators.

A man, 20-year-old James Fields, has been charged with murder.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

While Mr Trump did issue a statement condemning white supremacists and neo-Nazis two days after the riot, and did so again in a later press conference, his insistence that what he called the "alt-left" was also to blame led to condemnation from Republican colleagues.

Mr McCain said: "There's no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate& bigotry. The President of the United States should say so".

And Mr Ryan, the House majority leader, said: "We must be clear. White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity."

Jeff Sessions: The Charlottesville car attack could be a "hate crime"

Both white supremacists and counter-demonstrators from so-called antifa groups used fists, batons and pepper spray during clashes in Charlottesville.

Footage appeared to show the racist groups had arrived more heavily armed, however, and they were accompanied by militia bearing AR-15 assault rifles and other tactical gear.