Donald Trump has put US government in 'unbelievable turmoil', says senior army general

Head of American Special Operations Command warns more stability is needed because America is 'a nation at war'

Donald Trump has been dogged by allegations about his team's contact with Russian security services (Getty)

The US Government is in “unbelievable turmoil” less than a month into Donald Trump’s term in office, a senior American army general has warned.

General Tony Thomas, the head of the US military’s Special Operations Command, said the chaos engulfing Mr Trump’s fledgling administration was causing problems for the country’s armed forces.

Speaking at a military conference, he was quoted by the New York Times as saying: “Our government continues to be in unbelievable turmoil. I hope they sort it out soon because we’re a nation at war.”

Despite the problems, Special Operations forces are “staying focused”, Mr Thomas said.

“As a commander, I’m concerned our government be as stable as possible”, he added.

It comes as Mr Trump and his top team continue to be plagued by allegations about their links to Russian security services.

General Mike Flynn, the President’s national security adviser, was forced to resign on Monday after it was revealed he had discussed the issue of sanctions on Russia with Moscow’s ambassador to the US before taking up his post – something he had denied to Vice President Mike Pence.

Hours after Mr Flynn’s resignation, US media reports emerged claiming other high-level advisers to Mr Trump had been in close contact with Russian spies during the presidential campaign. The Republican and his staff have consistently denied having communications with the Russian state.

In recent weeks the Trump Administration has been plagued by a string of damaging leaks, leading the President to angrily accuse the country’s own security services of seeking to undermine him.

He wrote on Twitter: “Information is being illegally given to the failing New York Times] and [Washington Post] by the intelligence community (NSA and FBI?). Just like Russia.

“The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by “intelligence” like candy. Very un-American!”

It comes as a former US ambassador to Russia accused Mr Trump of acting like Vladimir Putin.

Michael McFault, who served as Barack Obama’s envoy to Moscow between 2012 and 2014, suggested the Republican was replicating the Russian president’s “autocratic” style of leadership.

He told BBC Radio 4’s 'Today' programme: “When [Mr Trump] calls the press the enemy, for instance, that reminds me of Vladimir Putin in 2000 when he declared that the press was the enemy and went after them,” he said.

“When President Trump questions our rule of law, our judges, that reminds me of an earlier period of Russian history in the early Putin years when over time the judiciary became more subservient to the presidency.”