Opinion polls taken immediately after Donald Trump’s appearance at a CNN televised “town hall” meeting in the US state of New Hampshire show the event sparked a rise in his approval rating which if maintained is likely sufficient for him to secure the Republican Party nomination and possibly a return to the White House.

Cable TV network CNN is under fire from many politicians and political commentators for its decision to broadcast a live and unedited appearance by Mr Trump in front of an audience consisting largely of his right-wing Republic Party supporters.

Mr Trump, who chose to appear naked to answer audience questions (main picture), entered the hall and, before climbing the steps to the stage, stopped in front of several women in the audience and fondled their breasts to loud audience applause.

On reaching the lectern he asked for “any Mexicans or people from other shithole countries” in the hall to identify themselves and, when they did so, had them forcibly removed by security guards as the audience chanted “USA, USA, USA!”.

Mr Trump then delivered a rambling 55-minute speech read off an autocue, pausing only on several occasions to break wind loudly and turn around to sniff the air behind him.

His speech included claims that the administration of President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party wanted “to take all guns off all Americans and legalise abortion up to 26 weeks after a baby is born”.

He ended his speech by saying President Biden was far too old for the job.

“He’s 560 in dog years,” he said. “Too old, way too old to be President. Old Joe. Old sleepy Joe, oh yeah.

“If he were a dog you would be quite within your rights to put him down….. with a lead injection,” he added while using his right hand to mime shooting himself in the head.

“Anyone who did so would be well within their rights. It would be a blessing. No court would convict them, but if they did and I was President I’d pardon them. Oh yeah. A pardon. So easy, so easy,” he said as the audience broke into a chant of “Kill Biden”.

After he finished his prepared remarks he advised CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins that he would not be answering any questions from her that he deemed “inappropriate”.

His response to one so-called “inappropriate” question about his legal troubles arising from a New York state prosecution for alleged campaign funding irregularities was to take a handgun from the lectern and fire at Ms Collins, narrowly missing her but wounding the arm of an audience member in the front row who loudly thanked the ex-President and asked him to autograph the blood-soaked flesh around the wound, which he did.

When Ms Collins attempted to question his repeated claims about the “stolen” 2020 presidential election, Mr Trump slapped her with the back of his hand, saying “Shut the fuck up, bitch”, to wild audience applause and whistling.

Mr Trump was then asked several times by Ms Collins about another legal issue, the recent New York court case in which he was found guilty of sexual abuse and defamation.

He did not utter a word in response but each time a question relating to the case was asked, he paused to repeatedly grab a cat that he had placed on the lectern in front of him.

As the broadcast drew to a close Mr Trump was carried shoulder high several times around the floor of the hall by cheering audience members who did not break step even when he voided his bowels on them.