President Donald Trump was flying to the sites of mass shootings in Ohio and Texas yesterday, but the divisive Republican risks meeting protests by Americans who blame him for stoking the violence.

Trump has been walking a difficult line since the massacres of 31 people over the weekend - 22 at a Walmart frequented by large numbers of Hispanic people in El Paso, Texas, and nine killed by a second gunman in Dayton, Ohio.

The visits "will be about honoring victims, comforting communities, and thanking first responders & medical professionals for their heroic actions," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Crisham tweeted.