Joe Biden branded Donald Trump and millions of his supporters an "extremist" threat to American democracy in a rare prime-time address to the nation on Thursday night.

Mr Biden chose to deliver his fiercest attack yet in a speech outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were adopted over 200 years ago.

Republicans accused Mr Biden, who came to office pledging to unite the nation, of "crossing the Rubicon" with his remarks, and becoming the "divider-in-chief".

In his 24-minute address Mr Biden said: "Donald Trump and the Make America Great Again (MAGA) Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic. They embrace anger. They thrive on chaos. They live not in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies.

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