George W Bush attacks 'conspiracy theories and outright fabrication' in modern politics in thinly veiled dig at Donald Trump

Former president George W Bush has issued a thinly veiled attack on Donald Trump as he criticised the “casual cruelty” and “conspiracy theories” in modern politics. 

The former Republican leader warned that “bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone” that left young Americans lacking role models.

Mr Bush also issued a clear rejection of white supremacists, saying that such views were tantamount to “blasphemy against the American creed”.

The intervention did not mention Mr Trump by name but took on issues that the US president has been criticised over in recent months.

Mr Trump has been accused of not condemning white supremacists strongly enough, making incorrect statement about predecessors and attacking colleagues on Twitter.

The speech marked a rare appearance for Mr Bush, who has tended to avoid public statements despite expressing unease with Mr Trump when he ran for president.

George W Bush, former US president

"Bigotry seems emboldened. Our politics seem more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication,” Mr Bush said in a speech at his institute on Thursday.

“There are some signs that the intensity of support for democracy itself has waned, especially among the young who never experienced the galvanising moral clarity of the Cold War or never focused on the ruin of entire nations by socialist central planning. 

“Some have called this democratic deconsolidation. Really it seems to be a combination of weariness, frayed tempers and forgetfulness. We’ve seen our discourse degraded by casual cruelty.”

He added: “Bigotry and white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed.

"We need a renewed emphasis on civic learning in schools and our young people need positive role models.

“Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone, provides permission for cruelty and bigotry and compromises the moral education of children.”

Mr Bush also appeared to take aim at Mr Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and protectionist instincts by  tearing up free trade deals and threatening tariffs. 

"We've seen nationalism distorted into nativism, forgotten the dynamism that immigration has always brought to America," Mr Bush said.

"We see a fading confidence in the value of free markets and international trade, forgetting that conflict, instability and poverty follow in the wake of protectionism."

He added: "We've seen the return of isolationist sentiments, forgetting that American security is directly threatened by the chaos and despair of distant places where threats such as terrorism, infectious disease, criminal gangs and drug trafficking tend to emerge."

The intervention marks the latest senior Republican figure to voice disquiet over Mr Trump’s behaviour in recent days as a civil war rumbles in the party. 

John McCain, the Arizona senator and former Republican presidential nominee, used a speech this week to criticise “half-baked, spurious nationalism.”