Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, describing her as “the devil”, at a rally in Pennsylvania.

During an attack on Bernie Sanders for lending his support to Ms Clinton’s campaign, Mr Trump claimed Mr Sanders had “buyer’s remorse” over his decision and said: “He made a deal with the devil. She’s the devil.”

His remarks come amid controversy over comments Mr Trump made about the parents of a Muslim-American soldier who was killed in Iraq. He criticised the mother of 27-year-old army captain Humayun Khan, for not speaking alongside her husband at the Democratic National Convention, and suggested she had not been “allowed” to speak.

Mr Trump’s comments were condemned by both Democrats and Republicans.

Mr Trump did not address the scandal during appearances on Monday, and instead sought to direct attention to Ms Clinton and his concerns the coming election would be “rigged”.

Speaking to Fox news, Mr Trump said: “November 8th, we’d better be careful, because that election is going to be rigged. And I hope the Republicans are watching closely or it’s going to be taken away from us.”

It is not the first time Mr Trump has insinuated Ms Clinton was “the devil”, having previously said Mr Sanders had done a deal with the devil. But it is the first time he unambiguously equated the former secretary of state with the devil.

Mr Trump’s increasingly belligerent campaign rhetoric is a stark contrast to his past relationship with the Clinton family.

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Ms Clinton was given a front-row seat at Mr Trump’s 2005 wedding to Melania Knauss, and was a major donor to her Senate campaigns and first presidential bid.

Mr Trump also described Bill Clinton as “a really good guy” in a 2012 interview, while the former President said of Trump in the same year: “I like him. And I love playing golf with him.”

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The Clintons’ daughter Chelsea also remains a close friend of Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka.