Former Republican Leader of the House John Boehner has claimed there are “Nazis” serving in Congress

“We’ve got some of the smartest people in America who serve in the Congress, and we’ve got some of the dumbest”, Mr Boehner said. “We have some of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet, and some that are Nazis”.

The Ohio Republican and former Speaker of the House talked candidly about his former congressional colleagues in a lengthy article.

After presiding over a caucus fractured by the rise of the Tea Party, which propelled multiple challenges to his leadership, Mr Boehner ultimately stepped down. He has since become a critic of Donald Trump, whom he described as a “populist” without “an ideological bone in his body”, but he said Mr Trump is not prejudiced.

“I do not believe that he is a racist. I do not believe that he is a white supremacist,” Mr Boehner told POLITICO Magazine. “He has clearly done some things to lead people who never liked him to say those things about him.”

But by labelling unnamed members of Congress “Nazis”, Mr Boehner invoked a spectre that has been haunting American politics this year.

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.

White supremacists, some of them organized under the broad label of the “alt-right”, have been increasingly vocal and public in advancing their nationalist vision. Former White House adviser Stephen Bannon, who helped manage Mr Trump’s campaign and for months served as a top aide before stepping down, has returned to his role managing Breitbart News, which he once proclaimed a “platform for the alt-right”.

Steve Bannon says he is launching war on the Republican establishment

In August, protesters including the KKK and Neo-Nazis marched on Charlottesville, Virginia to demonstrate against the removal of a statue of confederate general Robert E Lee. After a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotestors, killing a woman, Mr Trump faced widespread criticism for saying there was "blame on both sides". That led Rep Maxine Waters, a California Democrat and fierce antagonist of Mr Trump, to call the White House the “White Supremacists' House.”