Vermont senator Bernie Sanders and US president Donald Trump showed their differences in reacting to Pete Buttigieg dropping out of the presidential race. (David McNew/Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The differences between US president Donald Trump and the man who may unseat him, Bernie Sanders, are endless.

Such as how one uses dime-store spray tan and enjoys locking children in detention camps, compared to concentration camps by human rights campaigners, and the other does not.

But the pair’s reactions to Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg suspending his campaign Sunday has only yawned further their divide.

While Trump opted for a response tangled in barbs, childish slurs and, let’s face it, insecurity, Sanders’ showed, well, presidential potential.

What did Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump say?

Trump took to Twitter to say, in a typical Trump way: “Pete Buttigieg is OUT.

“All of his SuperTuesday [sic] votes will go to Sleepy Joe Biden. Great timing.

“This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play – NO NOMINATION, AGAIN!

“And I want to welcome all of his supporters into our movement.

“I urge them to join us in the fight for real change in this country.”

Analysts have suggested that with Super Tuesday – which sees around one-third of delegates vote – hurtling towards candidates, that Buttigieg’s loss will coalesce a portion of moderate votes.

Likely bouncing to former vice president Joe Bide, who soared in the South Carolina vote, and lifting his political fortunes heading into the bulky primaries.

This strengthened moderate voting bloc will, analysts say, potentially form a stronger opposition to Sanders in the primaries.

In highlighting the startling differences between them, the Vermont senator wrote: “I want to congratulate Pete Buttigieg for running a strong and historic campaign, and to welcome all of his supporters into our movement.

“I urge them to join us in the fight for real change in this country.”

Why did Pete Buttigieg step down?

Buttigieg, an early Democratic front-runner, suffered a devastating blow in the South Carolina caucus, capturing his hardship in courting black voters.

Buttigieg’s bid to unseat Trump gained momentum after a surprise win in the first caucuses in Iowa following months of slumping single-digit polls.

Yet, the 38-year-old announced at a hastily-convened talk in his hometown that he was suspending his presidential campaign.

The decision came just before Super Tuesday, where 14 states will vote for who they want to challenge Trump in November’s election. His call to bow out of the race has ratcheted up tensions among the centrist candidates as the field narrows on who will be the likely contender to spar Sanders.