Donald Trump has unleashed his latest verbal attack on his Democratic rival for the White House by branding Hillary Clinton “the devil”.
The Republican presidential candidate’s insult came as he berated Senator Bernie Sanders’ decision to endorse Mrs Clinton.
While rallying his supporters in Pennsylvania, Mr Trump said of Sanders: “He made a deal with the devil. She’s the devil.”
He also told a crowd in Ohio that he feared the US presidential election in November “is going to be rigged”.
The billionaire said he had been hearing “more and more” that the election may not be contested fairly, though he did not elaborate further.
He made the claim after first suggesting Mr Sanders never had a chance of winning the Democratic presidential nomination because the party’s primary contest had been “rigged” in favour of Mrs Clinton.
His fresh insults and claims come in the face of a public feud with the parents of a Muslim US soldier killed in action by a suicide bomber in Iraq in 2004.
Pakistan-born Khizr Khan and his wife, Ghazala, appeared on stage at last week’s Democratic convention, where he said Mr Trump had “sacrificed nothing and no one” for his country.
Mr Trump hit back, claiming he had given up a lot for his businesses, and sparked outrage by implying Mrs Khan did not speak while standing alongside her husband because she was forbidden as a Muslim woman.
He has come under fire from outraged veterans groups, relatives of soldiers killed in action, President Barack Obama – and even Republicans – for his remarks.
Former Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who ran unsuccessfully for the White House in 2008, also entered the row, denouncing the property tycoon’s “disparaging” comments.
“While our party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us,” he said.
Veterans and families of slain US soldiers said they will not tolerate anyone berating a Gold Star family member and demanded Mr Trump apologise to the Khans.
Writing in the Washington Post, Mrs Khan said she did not speak because she finds talking about her son’s death extremely difficult.