Donald Trump has announced that he plans to dissolve his charitable Donald J Trump Foundation to avoid any conflict with his role as president.

Mr Trump did not give a timeline for winding down the foundation, but said in a statement that he wanted to "to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president".

New York's attorney general Eric Schneiderman said earlier this year that he was investigating the Trump Foundation over suspected "impropriety" - a claim dismissed by Mr Trump.

In October, the attorney general directed the foundation to stop taking donations because he said it violated state law requiring charitable organisations to register with a state office.

The order followed a number of reports in The Washington Post which suggested Mr Trump's foundation had engaged in a number of improprieties, including using its funds to settle legal disputes involving Trump businesses.

Amy Spitalnick, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office, said: "The Trump Foundation is still under investigation by this office and cannot legally dissolve until that investigation is complete."