Michael Garland Elliott, who died earlier this month at the age of 75, was no fan of US president Donald Trump.

A keen follower of the news, Mr Elliott would regularly voice his disapproval of Trump, until ill-health left him unable to communicate.

As he lay dying in his Oregon home, surrounded by friends and caregivers, he had one last phone call with he ex-wife Teresa Elliott. The pair had remained close friends after their divorce two decades ago - and Ms Elliott knew precisely what to say.

As an obituary for Mr Elliott published in The Oregonian records: "Mike ran out of family long ago and is survived by his ex-wife and best friend, Teresa Elliott. Though their marriage ran aground, their friendship only grew stronger and hers was the last voice Mike heard.

"And the last thing she said to him was 'Donald Trump has been impeached.' Upon hearing that he took his final, gentle breath, his earthly work concluded.

“I knew it was his very, very last moments,” Ms Elliott told the New York Daily News. “I knew that would bring him comfort and it did. He then took his final breath.”

Asked if she had any regrets about lying to Mr Elliott in his last moments, she replied: “Oh God no. If I could leave him with a happy piece of news then why wouldn’t I?