THE UK's shock vote to leave the European Union has sent political tremors across the Atlantic with Brexit casting a long shadow over the race for the White House.

Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democrat nominee, cast the economic uncertainty which followed the Brexit vote as a reason America needed "calm, steady, experienced leadership". But the result has clearly unsettled the Democrat campaign which is banking on Americans ultimately choosing a more conventional leader in November than Donald Trump.

"It's a timely big splash of cold water in the face of Democrats," said Ron Kirk, the former Democratic mayor of Dallas.

Trump has already tried to capitalise on Brexit claiming: "I think there are great similarities between what happened here and my campaign.

Other Democrats, openly anxious, warned that the party should not underestimate the willingness of angry American voters to side with Trump. "Brexit is a wakeup call for the Clinton team," said Scott Reed, chief strategist for the US Chamber of Commerce. "The status quo won't work this cycle."

The Democrats are aware that the UK referendum outcome was fuelled by support from predominantly working class voters outside of major cities - a similar profile to Trump's supporters.

Jerry Spaulding, a farmer from New Hampshire who plans to vote for Trump, said he would not be surprised if the breadth of the billionaire's support is broader than it may look in public opinion polls. "I do think you're going to see a lot of people coming out of the woodwork, like they did in Britain," he said.

Trump is banking on frustrated US voters backing similarly sweeping change and electing him.

At his Turnberry golf resort on Friday Trump said: "People want to see borders. They don't necessarily want people pouring into their country that they don't know who they are and where they come from."

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that it was understandable that Britons had voted for Brexit as “no one wants to feed weak economies.” He also pointed to the migrant crisis as another factor behind the result. “I think it’s comprehensible why this happened," he said. "No one wants to feed and subsidise poorer economies, to support other states, support entire nations."

The Russian president also took a swipe at David Cameron, who had warned in the run up to the referendum that Putin "would be happy" if the UK left the EU since it would undermine the bloc.

Putin said: “No one has the right to make claims on Russia’s position, especially after the votes were counted. This is nothing but an example of a low level of political culture.”