Trump mocks 'crazy, chaotic' Democratic debate and uses racial slur to attack Elizabeth Warren

President returned to Washington on Wednesday morning, hits campaign trail again this weekend

Donald Trump attacked a handful of his potential general election foes after a Tuesday night Democratic debate he called "crazy" and "chaotic," ending his critique with this plea: "Just give me an opponent!"

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is considered the Democratic frontrunner following his showings in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada – including his wide margin of victory over the weekend in the latter – but the president had critical words for several Democratic candidates.

Reporters traveling with the president as he arrived early Wednesday morning back at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington after a state visit to India filed a dispatch in which they heard Mr Trump appear to confirm he watched what was the 10th Democratic debate on Air Force One during the long flight home.

His critique was limited to two tweets, but was chock full of attacks on various members of the still-crowded Democratic field.

"Crazy, chaotic Democrat Debate last night. Fake News said Biden did well, even though he said half of our population was shot to death. Would be OVER for most," he wrote of former Vice President Joe Biden.

Mr Biden remains ahead in the latest polls from South Carolina, where voters will head to the polls on Saturday. It would be the former Democratic frontrunner's first victory, if he can hold off a surging Mr Sanders.

He also had this for former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who has sat out early primaries and caucuses, but polls well against the incumbent GOP president.

"Mini Mike was weak and unsteady, but helped greatly by his many commercials (which are not supposed to be allowed.......during a debate)," he wrote, taking another swipe at the former Big Apple chief executive's height.

The president again used his preferred nickname for Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who once made false claims about her own alleged Native American ancestry, writing: "Pocahontas was mean, & undisciplined, mostly aiming at Crazy Bernie and Mini Mike."

Mr Trump has predicted Ms Warren will not get the Democratic nomination. Still, in recent days, he has tried to paint her as angry -- and attempt to contend she lacks the temperament for his job.

Yet, he seems to have a newfound respect for Ms Warren as she has gotten more aggressive during debates, tweeting the other candidates on stage "don't know how to handle her."

He then took another shot at the Oklahoma-born conservative-turned-progressive, claiming this: "I know she is a "chocker".

He appeared to mean choker, meaning she does not have the ability to win the nomination after briefly being the Democrats' frontrunner.

Mr Trump will hold a news conference at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday about his administration's plans to combat the Coronavirus amid a stock market tumble over worries it could spread. From there, he will return to the campaign trail with stops in South Carolina on its primary eve on Friday night and North Carolina on Monday night ahead of its Super Tuesday primary. In between, he will speak on Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC); in previous years, it has been used by Mr Trump as another political campaign event to rev up his base.