Is 'pumped up' Hillary Clinton on drugs, asks Donald Trump

Washington: Donald Trump has accused rival Hillary Clinton of getting "pumped up" ahead of presidential debates with performance-enhancing drugs and challenged her to take a drug test before the final debate next week, giving the race to the White House a bizarre new direction.

The 70-year-old billionaire Republican nominee, who has been trailing the Democrat in polls, questioned the physical stamina of Clinton (68), arguing that she was more energetic during the beginning of their debate last Sunday, but lost her steam by the end of the debate. He offered no evidence to back his unsubstantiated claim.

"At the beginning of her last debate, she was pumped up at the start, but at the end she was all ‘take me down'. She could barely reach her car," Trump told to loud cheers among his supporters during a rally in New Hampshire.

"I think we should take a drug test. I'm willing to do it."

He has described Clinton as not having the stamina to be the US president, after the former secretary of state had a scary ‘health episode' when she stumbled and nearly collapsed during the 9/11 memorial event last month. Clinton was later diagnosed with pneumonia and her health had become a talking point in the electoral race.

His comment that "she could barely reach her car" appeared to be aimed at the 9/11 ceremony incident.

Referring to the 17 Republican nominees he has trounced in the primaries, Trump compared himself with an athlete and said every athlete takes a drug test before the competition.

"We're like athletes, but athletes, they make them take a drug test. I think we should too, prior to the debate, because I don't know what's going on with her," he said.

Trump's accusations against Clinton came as he outlayed his policy to fight the drug abuse in New Hampshire, a state that has become a flashpoint in the battle against the menace.

The third Trump-Clinton presidential debate is scheduled for Wednesday in Las Vegas.