Obama declares Trump ‘unfit’ to be next president

US President Barack Obama has said that Republican nominee Donald Trump is “unfit” and “woefully unprepared” to be the next president, and questioned why his party still supports his candidacy.

“If you are repeatedly having to say what Trump says is unacceptable, then why are you still endorsing him?” he asked the Republican Party during a press conference at the White House. “There has to come a point at which you say: ‘Enough’.”

Obama’s come amid Trump’s ongoing feud with Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of a fallen US Muslim soldier who had criticised Trump at the Democratic Party’s National Convention.

Khizr Khan had criticised Trump's plan to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US, and the New York billionaire by implying that his wife didn’t speak on stage because of Islamic traditions.

Mr Trump responded by attacking the "Gold Star" family, the term for families that have lost a relative in war. Democratic and Republican leaders as well as veterans' groups quickly condemned him.

"The Republican nominee is unfit to serve as president and he keeps on proving it," Obama said. "The notion that he would attack a Gold Star family that made such extraordinary sacrifices... means that he is woefully unprepared to do this job."

Obama also took to task Republican leaders who have frequently clashed with Trump over this statements and policies about women, undocumented immigrants and Muslims.

"What does this say about your party that this is your standard bearer?" he questioned them. "This isn't a situation where you have an episodic gaff, this is daily and weekly where they are distancing themselves from statements he's making."

Top Republican leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have been highly critical of Trump, but have not rescinded their endorsements of him.

On Tuesday, New York Representative Richard Hanna became the first Republican member of Congress to publicly say he would vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton. Hanna said that Trump's comments about the Khan family were the deciding factor.

Until recently, many Republicans opposed to Trump had stopped short of supporting Clinton, saying they would vote for a third party or write-in candidate.