Did Donald Trump just issue a dog whistle call to gun activists to assassinate his presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton?

That's the latest controversy currently engulfing the Trump campaign following remarks the Republican nominee made at a rally in North Carolina yesterday. Outlining the policy differences between himself and the Democratic nominee, Trump said: “Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment [the right to own guns]. If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what, that will be a horrible day.” https://twitter.com/politico/status/763090542943174656 The comment was immediately pounced upon as a veiled death threat against Clinton, and/or any of her prospective nominee's for the US Supreme Court should she win the election. Her campaign manager, Robby Mook, said: “This is simple – what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.” https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/763103518773436416 The Democrats' chief Trump-basher, Senator Elizabeth Warren, didn't hold back: https://twitter.com/elizabethforma/status/763130669606309892 https://twitter.com/elizabethforma/status/763131045411688448 Other politicians and commentators piled in to say that Trump had truly crossed the line. https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/763106278319198208 https://twitter.com/MarkHarrisNYC/status/763098641498275840 The US Secret Service - the people assigned to protect presidents and candidates - took Trump's comments seriously too. https://twitter.com/SecretService/status/763142627202048000 Trump later sought to clarify his remarks, saying he meant them as a call to political action among gun-owners to vote for him and not Clinton. A Trump spokesperson said:

"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 candidate himself tried to explain it away via his preferred mode of communication: Twitter. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/763198483927011329 The National Rifle Association (NRA) had this to say: https://twitter.com/NRA/status/763110521889402880 https://twitter.com/NRA/status/763110645621329920 Clinton's response to the controversy has been simply to RT her campaign manager's response, as well a tweet from former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was the victim of a foiled assassination. https://twitter.com/GabbyGiffords/status/763151326238736385 Clinton's account also re-posted this effective ad playing to fears of what a Trump presidency would mean for the mindset of America's children. https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/763167527933386752 Others, however, pointed to a clumsy remark Hillary Clinton herself made in May 2008 during her bitter contest with Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination. When she was asked by a reporter why she hadn't yet dropped out of the race, Clinton replied: "We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.” That comment was condemned as playing on very real safety concerns about Obama because of his historic candidacy, and Clinton apologised. "I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and in particular the Kennedy family was in any way offensive," she said. Still, Trump's latest outrage is likely to escalate the movement to force Trump to drop out of the race. https://twitter.com/RiotWomennn/status/763221536069124096 Polls over the last week have consistently shown Clinton opening a huge lead over Trump in November's election, with various polls giving her anything from an eight to 15 point advantage over Trump.