Businessman Donald Trump shot back at stinging Republican criticism of his plan to bar Muslims from entering the United States by threatening a possible run as an independent in next year's elections.
The Republican presidential candidate left open the possibility of a third-party candidacy, though he said it wasn’t something he wanted to pursue.
"The people, the Republican Party, have been… the people have been phenomenal," Mr Trump said on an ABC Wednesday morning talk show.
“The party – I’ll let you know about that. And if I don’t get treated fairly, I would certainly consider that.”
The property tycoon and reality TV star had, under pressure from the Republican Party establishment, previously pledged to support the eventual nominee but toyed with the idea again.
“I will never leave this race,” he said defiantly in the face of widespread criticism over his latest incendiary remarks.
He posted a message on his Twitter social media page to a new poll by USA Today and Suffolk University showing that 68 per cent of his supporters would support him if he left the Republican fold.
Mr Trump’s bombastic campaign of anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim rhetoric has won him many fans among white conservatives sending him to virtually top of all the Republican national and local polls since July.
The prospect of the leading candidate in the Republican race steering a large bloc of the voters away from the party would inevitably hand the Democratic presidential nominee, mostly likely to be Hillary Clinton, victory in the November 2016 election.
While his rhetoric is damaging to the Republican Party's prospects among swing voters and minorities seen as crucial to regain the White House, an independent Trump run would be a nightmare for the party.
Although he commands a strong lead among Republican voters picking the party’s nominee, polls have consistently shown that a majority of voters have an unfavourable view of the businessman.
The White House and Republican congressional leaders Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell became unlikely allies, breaking a policy of not speaking out on the 2016 presidential race by castigating Mr Trump over his remarks that drew angry reaction at home and abroad.
They joined Democratic candidates and almost all of Mr Trump’s Republican rivals as well as the British and French leaders in a chorus of condemnation over the most inflammatory remarks of his campaign.
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush tweeted that perhaps Mr Trump "negotiated a deal" with Mrs Clinton. "Continuing this path will put her in the White House," he said.
By Wednesday evening, an online petition to bar Mr Trump from the UK had nearly reached the 300,000-signature mark, enough support to have the proposition debated by a parliamentary committee.
