ALEX Salmond has ramped up his war of words with Donald Trump, branding him “chicken” and threatening to “kick his ass” if the US presidential hopeful ever called into his weekly radio show.

Earlier this week, the former First Minister supported calls to ban the American billionaire businessman from Britain over the Republican’s outspoken controversial remarks, suggesting exclusion from the UK would “do him good”.

The ex-SNP leader has previously branded Mr Trump “three times a loser” because of his repeated failures to block offshore wind turbines near his Aberdeenshire golf course.

The would-be US President has, in turn, dismissed Mr Salmond as a “has-been,” who was “an embarrassment for Scotland”.

During his weekly phone-in on LBC, the issue of ex-Alaskan governor Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Mr Trump was raised by Brian from Glasgow. A clip was played of her declaration that Mr Trump as president would mean Americans having a “commander-in-chief, who will let our warriors do their job and kick Isis’s ass”.

Describing Ms Palin and Mr Trump as “an extraordinary combination,” Mr Salmond claimed her endorsement was “the kiss of death as opposed to the dynamic duo”.

He went on: “One thing I would say about this ‘kick ass’ quote of Sarah Palin’s, if the Donald would want to come on LBC and defend his offensive comments, that Mexicans and Muslims and whoever else he is offensive about, then we will kick some ass…if the Donald has got the guts to come on and get someone answering back to him.”

Asked if Mr Trump was chicken for not accepting an invitation to go on LBC to debate Mr Salmond, the MP for Gordon referred to him as “Chicken Donald,” suggesting that description might bait him onto the phone-in.

He went on: “The Donald is a bit like some American heavyweights, they pick their opponent and they’ll make sure they don’t come under the tough interview or have people answering back; they’re very controlled.

“The Donald tries to give this impression he’s totally off the cuff; in fact, his media operation controls him and protects him from tough interviews. When he’s had tough interviews, he hasn’t liked it and that’s been very obvious.”

Mr Salmond said Mr Trump would be loath to go on the phone-in because he would be faced with people answering back and that he would have benefited in life if someone early on in his life had said No to him.

“But if he doesn’t come on, we will keep challenging him and maybe Chicken Donald will catch up.”

Mr Salmond stressed that Mr Trump was not a buffoon as some claimed and that his outspokenness was calculated to appeal to a certain section of American society. “That’s why it’s so dangerous,” he added.

On Monday a three-hour parliamentary debate was held on whether or not Mr Trump should be banned from the UK after more than 570,000 people signed a petition.

But, in response to the Commons debate, the Republican candidate insisted Britons loved him and that he had more supporters than critics in the UK.

The tycoon caused outrage recently by demanding a block on Muslims entering the US and claiming parts of London were ''so radicalised'' that the police were ''afraid for their own lives''.

A spokesman for The Trump Organisation said: “Mr. Salmond has become increasingly unpopular and should find something better to do with his time.”