Washington-Republican Donald Trump has not backed off from his fiery statements, making remarks that landed him in fresh controversy after he called President Barack Obama and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton the “co-founders” of ISIS.

The remarks that he made at an electoral rally in Florida came at a sensitive time for Trump, whose ratings have recently dropped.

Clinton took advantage of Trump’s accusations by seeking closer ties with Republicans who have expressed outrage at the candidate’s behavior.

The former Secretary of State sternly rebuked Republican presidential rival’s “casual inciting” of violence, saying he had “crossed the line.”

“Yesterday we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments by Donald Trump that crossed the line,” Clinton told a rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Words matter, my friends. And if you are running to be president, or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences.”

Her retort came after Trump said: “In fact, I think we’ll give Hillary Clinton … most valuable player.”

“ISIS will hand her the most valuable player award. Her only competition is President Barack Obama.”

Trump first made the assertion in a speech on Wednesday night in Florida, saying, “I call them co-founders” of ISIS.

In an interview on Thursday morning, Trump defended the remarks.

But in an effort to confront the campaign against Trump, his team issued a statement saying: “It’s called the power of unification – 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.”

The statement was signed by Jason Miller, Trump’s senior communications advisor.

Meanwhile, New York police have arrested a man who tried to scale Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan using rope and suction cups in an effort to meet the billionaire businessman.

Police described the climber as a 20-year-old man from Virginia who wanted to meet Trump.

In a YouTube video posted earlier this week he described himself as an “independent researcher” and needed to deliver an “important message” to Trump.