Under fire Trump admits Obama is American

After years of fueling conspiracy theories, Republican White House nominee Donald Trump admitted Friday that President Barack Obama is an American as he tried to neutralize damaging charges of racism.

But he also stepped up attacks against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, accusing her of initiating the doubts about Obama and later raising the specter of violence against her again.

In a much-hyped televised event, Trump gave a lengthy plug for his new Washington hotel before acknowledging that "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period."

The mogul-turned-politico pointedly did not apologize, nor did he walk back similarly baseless claims that Obama -- whose father was a Kenyan Muslim -- founded the violent Islamic State group.

Instead, he tried to pin blame for "birtherism" on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, whom he accused, without evidence, of starting the movement that questions Obama's nationality and right to be president.

"Her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean," Trump said.

The celebrity TV star has questioned Obama's US citizenship -- a legal prerequisite for becoming president -- since at least 2011.

The White House has long viewed Trump's claims as a racist attempt to delegitimize the president.

The charges also served to launch Trump's political career, propelling him onto the national stage and winning him fans on the far right.

But five years on, now in a tight presidential election race, Trump's position has become a liability, repulsing black, Hispanic and moderate voters whose support he needs to win the Oval Office.

The controversy reignited Thursday when Trump again demurred on Obama's citizenship, forcing his campaign into damage control.

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