Donald Trump apologises for causing 'personal pain' with his comments, but which remarks was he referring to?

The Republican presidential nominee speaks during a campaign event in Connecticut at the weekend (Reuters)

Donald Trump surprised everyone when he took the podium in Charlotte, North Carolina and did something unprecedented.

He apologised.

The man who has corralled support with his refusal to back down on comments no matter how divisive or incendiary stood before his loyal supporters and repented at the rally overnight.

Mr Trump, the man who also called Rosie O’Donnell a pig, a woman “disgusting” for breastfeeding and implied Mexican illegal immigrants are rapists and criminals, had something (reportedly scripted) to get off his chest.

“As you know I am not a politician,” he told those gathered, no doubt beginning to feel bewildered by his more considered tone. “I have never wanted to learn the language of the insiders and I have never wanted to be politically correct, it takes far too much time.

“Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that, and believe it or not, I regret it. I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain.”

His opponents have capitalised on his ability to offend after recent comments sparked more intensified criticism.

But there have been many moments throughout his Republican campaign where Mr Trump has been accused of speaking out of turn, and confusion continues to mount over which comments Mr Trump could be referring to.

They could include:

• “You’ve called women you don’t like 'fat pigs,' 'dogs,' 'slobs,' and 'disgusting animals'” Megyn Kelly told Mr Trump during a GOP debate. His response? “Only Rosie O’Donnell."

• His comments about Ghazala Khan, the mother of a fallen Muslim-American soldier sparked particularly fierce ire. Ms Khan had stood with her husband when he lambasted Mr Trump for “consistently smearing the character of Muslims”.

“If you look at his wife, she was standing there,” Mr Trump said.

“She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.”

In a second interview with the New York Times, he added: “I'd like to hear his wife say something.”

Ms Khan responded with an essay in the Washington Post, where she told Mr Trump she did have something to say.

“Here is my answer to Donald Trump: Because without saying a thing, all the world, all America, felt my pain. I am a Gold Star mother. Whoever saw me felt me in their heart.

“I cannot walk into a room with pictures of Humayun. For all these years, I haven’t been able to clean the closet where his things are — I had to ask my daughter-in-law to do it. Walking onto the convention stage, with a huge picture of my son behind me, I could hardly control myself. What mother could? Donald Trump has children whom he loves. Does he really need to wonder why I did not speak?”

• Mr Trump's impression of a Serge Kovaleski, a disabled reporter, where he made jittery movements with his hand and slurred his speech, were found to be the action that bothered likely voters the most in a Bloomberg poll.

The 70-year-old billionaire kick-started his campaign with a slew of claims about Mexicans as part of his promise to build a “big beautiful” wall on the border. When challenged on his evidence for some of his assertions, he had this to say:

“Well, somebody's doing the raping, Don! I mean somebody's doing it! Who's doing the raping? Who's doing the raping?”

• Mr Trump called Mr Obama the founder of Isis twice in a week and branded Hillary Clinton the co-founder.

“In many respects, you know, they honour President Obama,” Mr Trump told a crowd in Florida. “He’s the founder of Isis. He’s the founder of Isis. He’s the founder. He founded Isis.” These comments did not sit well and Mr Trump found himself embroiled in yet more controversy. He later clarified that his comments were sarcastic.