Donald Trump insists he has rejected an endorsement from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke in the presidential nomination race.
It comes after a TV interview in which it appeared he wouldn't disavow Mr Duke's support because he said he didn't know anything about him.
Following his comments on CNN, he was criticised by fellow Republican candidates Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
Mr Trump has since tweeted a remark he made at a news conference on Friday where he was asked about Mr Duke and he said: "I disavow".
The US property tycoon was asked on the State of the Union programme on Sunday whether he would declare he didn't want Mr Duke's backing, or that of other white supremacists.
The billionaire businessman said of the former grand wizard of the KKK: "I just don't know anything about him," and also said he wouldn't condemn a group that he knows "nothing about".
He added that if he was sent a list of groups he would research them and "certainly" would disavow any if he thought there was "something wrong".
He was pressed three times on whether he'd distance himself from the Ku Klux Klan - but never mentioned the group in his answers.
"I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists," he said.
"So I don't know. I don't know - did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists."
Mr Trump added: "Honestly, I don't know David Duke. I don't believe I've ever met him. I'm pretty sure I didn't meet him. And I just don't know anything about him."
Last week, Mr Duke urged listeners on his radio show to volunteer and vote for Mr Trump, saying voting against him is "treason to your heritage".
On Friday, a man wearing a top saying ''KKK endorses Trump'' was thrown out of a rally for the Repuwblican frontrunner in Oklahoma.
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group, had called on Mr Trump to distance himself from the support of Mr Duke.
Mr Cruz criticised him on Twitter, saying: "Really sad. @realDonaldTrump you're better than this. We should all agree, racism is wrong, KKK is abhorrent."
Mr Rubio said Mr Trump was "wrong" to refuse to condemn Mr Duke and "it makes him unelectable".
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has sparked controversy after he retweeted the Benito Mussolini quote "It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep".
The tweet had been posted by a parody account the website Gawker claimed to have created.
The tycoon told NBC he didn't want to be associated with the Italian dictator but said it was "a very good quote".
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