Donald Trump has challenged his rival Hillary Clinton to a drug test before their next debate, suggesting the Democrat was "pumped up" on performance-enhancing drugs in a stunning new twist to the brutal White House race.
The unsubstantiated attack from the Republican nominee came as a new poll out Sunday shows Clinton with a four-point lead over her Republican rival, suggesting that Trump still holds a solid core of voters despite a week of snowballing claims of sexual misconduct that have thrown his presidential campaign into chaos.
Trump has trampled all conventions in his treatment of his opponent, vowing if elected to jail her over her email practices as secretary of state - and making "Lock Her Up" a rallying cry for his fired-up supporters.
His campaign has actively fuelled right-wing conspiracy theories about Clinton's health, seizing on her bout of pneumonia last month to suggest she is concealing a major health problem, and is unfit for office.
In the latest attack, levelled without proof, Trump suggested she had taken drugs during their last debate, and called for testing ahead of their final duel Wednesday in Las Vegas.
"At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning. At the end, it was like, 'Take me down,' she could barely reach her car," the 70-year-old told a rally Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
"Athletes, they make them take a drug test. I think we should take a drug test prior to the debate. Why don't we do that?" Trump said.
The Manhattan billionaire has spent the week claiming the media and a "global elite" are working against him.
"The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing completely false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect her president," he charged in New Hampshire. Ten women have now come forward to say they were the victim of unwanted advances by the real estate mogul. Trump's latest accuser, 63-year-old Cathy Heller, told The Guardian that he had grabbed and kissed her against her wishes during their first and only meeting 20 years ago.
Trump denies the allegations, insisting in one of a barrage of tweets to his 12 million followers: "Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!"
The controversy apparently has had little effect on Trump's support: an ABC News/Washington Post poll out Sunday shows Clinton leading Trump 47-43 percent among likely voters - a small change from 46-44 in a survey taken ahead of the first presidential debate.
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