Donald Trump took his social media war against American journalists to a new level on Sunday by sending out a doctored video from a professional wrestling event of him wrestling to the ground a man with a CNN logo for a head.

The post on Twitter was sent out as Mr Trump was ostensibly preparing to meet fellow G20 leaders in Germany this week and planning calls later on Sunday with Japan’s Shinzo Abe and China’s Xi Jinping. It was the latest salvo in a growing rhetorical war with the US media that has tested the bounds of propriety and drawn denouncements from even members of Mr Trump’s own Republican party worried that his agenda is being derailed by a pointless media feud.

“It is a sad day when the President of the United States encourages violence against reporters,” CNN said in a statement. “Instead of preparing for his overseas trip?.?.?.?and working on his healthcare bill, he is instead involved in juvenile behaviour far below the dignity of his office. We will keep doing our jobs. He should start doing his.”