Trump defends Charlottesville response at Phoenix rally

United States President Donald Trump kicked off his campaign rally in Phoenix by defending his initial Charlottesville remarks that were widely condemned internationally and by the Republicans.

"What happened in the Charlottesville strikes at the core of America. And tonight, this entire arena stands united against the thugs who perpetrate hatred and violence," Trump said, adding, "I strongly condemn neo-Nazis, white Supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan members (KKK)."

"I openly called for unity," Trump added.

Trump slammed the "damn dishonest" media and read out his initial statement about the racist rally that ended in violence in the Virginia town earlier this month.

Indicating of not pardoning Joe Arpaio, the controversial former Maricopa County sheriff, President Trump said "Do the people in this room like Sheriff Joe?" he said, to cheers at his Phoenix rally.

"So was Sheriff Joe convicted for doing his job? ... You know what, I'll make a prediction: I think he's going to be just fine, OK? But I won't do it tonight because I don't want to cause any controversy. But Sheriff Joe should feel good."

"I hit 'em with neo-Nazi, I hit 'em with everything. KKK? We have KKK. I got 'em all," Trump said, in reference to calling out specifics groups in his statements.

"I am seriously considering a pardon for Sheriff Arpaio," Trump had said earlier.

"He has done a lot in the fight against illegal immigration. He's a great American patriot, and I hate to see what has happened to him." Trump later retweeted the article about his comments.

Arpaio first came to national prominence in the early 1990s when, as newly elected sheriff of Maricopa County, he pushed the construction of Tent City an open-air jail he viewed as not only a solution to prison overcrowding but also a way to burnish his tough-on-crime persona.

"We're going to do it, and it's time to get tough around here," Arpaio said in 1993 when Tent City was unveiled, according to the Arizona Republic. "And to get tough, you have to have a place to put the bad guys."

In a scathing attack on Democrats, Trump said the 48 Democrats have no idea, no policies, no vision for the country; the only thing they do is they obstruct like the Health Bill."

Trump said, "Obamacare is the disaster and we will repeal and replace as we are just one vote away."

Trump was severely criticised for failing to condemn the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and other white supremacist groups who organised the "Unite the Right" rally.

Earlier, thousands from across Arizona flocked to Downtown Phoenix to protest President Donald Trump's rally on Tuesday evening.