Donald Trump, in signature fashion, tried to accuse his Democratic rivals of a "quid pro quo," just the allegation House Democrats used to impeach him.

The president, however, was not talking about US military aid in return for Ukraine investigating Americans. Rather, he was accusing moderate former Democratic presidential candidates of dropping out of the 2020 race while also endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden and promising him their delegates – in return for promises he would give them Cabinet posts, if the former VP secures the nomination then wins in November.

"They made a deal. ... Quid pro quo," Mr Trump said to loud cheers in Charlotte. "They made a deal. Impeach them."

He was referring to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Both dropped out of the race following losses in South Carolina's Democratic primary on Saturday, which Mr Biden won by a wide margin.

"The Democrat Party has gone crazy," Mr Trump told his supporters in North Carolina, accusing the opposition party of adapting an "extreme left-wing agenda."

Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump styles his 'You're fired!' pose in his Trump Tower office in June 2012. At the time he was known as a reality TV star on The Apprentice Diane Bondareff/Invision/AP Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He was also well known as the patron of the Miss Universe competition Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Early signs of Trump's ambition for the presidency can be found everywhere. Not least in his 2011 book 'Time to get tough: Making America #1 again' Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump with Piers Morgan in November 2010. Piers Morgan has long held that he and Trump are good friends Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump appeared on Fox & Friends, his favourite show, in August 2011 Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump considered running in the 2012 election, where he would have faced Barack Obama. He is speaking here at an event for a Republican women's group Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump was subject to a Comedy Central roast in 2011. He is pictured here being roasted by rapper Snoop Dogg Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Given that this Trump store is in the lobby of Trump Tower, it can be said that Trump sells merchandise of himself out of his own home Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump held meetings with prominent Republicans when considering his 2012 bid. He is pictured here with Alaska governor Sarah Palin Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He didn't end up running in 2012 afterall, instead endorsing Republican candidate Mitt Romney AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump's golf course in Aberdeen proved controversial in 2012 when he began lobbying the Scottish government against wind power in order that they wouldn't install turbines off the shore by his new course Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He even gave evidence to a Scottish parliamentary committee discouraging wind energy AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves He still found time for a round of course AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves On 16 June 2015, Trump announced that he would run for the presidency of the United States in the 2016 election as a Republican Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves His campaign was divisive, courting controversy wherever he went. Ultimately he was declared the Republican candidate in June 2016 Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump took part in the TV debate against opponent Hillary Clinton on 9 October Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump and wife Melania vote in the presidential election on 8 November 2016 AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Hillary Clinton conceded defeat at 2:50am on 9 November and president-elect Trump swiftly delivered his victory speech to a crowd of supporters Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves News coverage around the world focused on the huge political upset that Trump's victory spelled AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump met with president Obama to discusss transition planning on 10 November. AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Donald Trump and Nigel Farage pose in the golden elevator at Trump Tower on 12 November 2016. Farage was the first British politician to meet with Trump after the election LeaveEUOffical/Twitter Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves The inauguration of Donald Trump took place on 20 January 2017. Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer boasted that the crowd was the 'largest ever' to witness an inauguration, a claim that was proved not to be true Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves In his first 100 days as leader, Trump signed 24 executve orders, the most of any president AFP/Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves One of Trump's most memorable election pledges was to build a wall between the US and Mexico. He is standing here in front of a prototype for a section of the wall Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump's meetings with other world leaders have provided no short supply of photo opportunities Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Trump was welcomed to the UK by the Queen and a state banquet was held at Buckingham Palace in his honour Reuters Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves Not everyone welcomed the president. Mass protests were held in London throughout his visits in both 2018 and 2019 EPA Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves One of the most significant meetings Trump has held with another leader was with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. In June 2019, Trump became the first sitting president to set foot in North Korea Getty Donald Trump celebrity president: A decade in two halves 2020 will see president Trump fight for a second term in office, who knows what the next decade will bring? 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He also admitted to "trolling" Democrats by holding campaign rallies in states the day before that party holds nominating primaries, revealing a key part of his re-election strategy.

And the rally brought another false statement: "Mexico's paying for the wall, by the way. They are," he said. They're not. US taxpayers are – and he again plans to take funds from the Pentagon to build more barrier along the US-Mexico border; Mr Trump contends changes to trade policy in a new pact with that country and Canada will bring funds into the US Treasury Department that essentially means America's southern neighbor is indeed financing the wall project.

In a bizarre scene about 40 minutes into the rally, African-American conservative personalities "Diamond" and "Silk" joined Trump on stage and did a bit of a duet that ended with them saying "you've got to be this high to ride this ride." They were referring to New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, whom the president has mocked over his height.

The president appeared to sense one of the Democratic presidential field's top delegate-holders, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, likely will be his general election foe.

"It's true, he does have some enthusiasm. But much less than we have. And a much smaller group of people, too," Mr Trump said of Mr Sanders. "And there's not a lot of enthusiasm for Biden."

He mocked the former vice president for last week misspeaking at a campaign event by telling attendees he was a "candidate for the United States Senate" and on Monday referring to the Super Tuesday primaries as "Super Thursday."

After last week's stock market slide due to coronavirus fears, Mr Trump touted what he called the largest one-day US market recovery in history.

Mr Trump was back in the Carolinas for the second time in four days; he held a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina on Friday evening.

He's also there the night before Super Tuesday primaries in over two dozen states. The president acknowledged last month he is going to primary states the night before Democratic primaries to try disrupting those nominating races. "We do a little trolling," he said in Charlotte.

Mr Trump also is trying to get a head start on securing North Carolina's 15 Electoral College votes for what appears likely to be a close general election.