Michelle Obama hammers Donald Trump over tax issue

In an apparent dig at Donald Trump, US First Lady Michelle Obama has said that America needs a President who "play by the rules" and "pay taxes" as she made a strong pitch for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

"We need someone who is honest and plays by the rules, because not paying taxes for years and years while the rest of us pay our fair share doesn't make you smarter than the rest of us," the First Lady said in a fiery speech at a Clinton election rally in North Carolina.

"We need a president who will choose to do what's best for the country, even when it doesn't personally benefit them."

"I just have to say this. I think we all agree that someone who is roaming around at three AM tweeting should not have their fingers on the nuclear phone," she said.

The first lady also slammed the Republican presidential nominee for questioning the birth of her husband Barack Obama, the US President.

"Back then, I do not know if you remember, but people had all kinds of questions about what kind of president Barack would be. Things like, would he understand us. Would he protect us. But as I am -want to remind people that there were also those who had other kinds of questions. Questions they continued to ask for the past eight years, like whether Barack was born in this country," she said.

"I point this out because these questions were hurtful. They were deceitful. The were deliberately designed to undermine my husband's presidency and they are questions that cannot be blamed on others, they cannot be swept under the rug. I am certainly not sweeping anything under the rug," Michelle said.

"But during his time in the White House, I think Barack has answered those questions with the example he set and the dignity's he shown by going high when they go low.

"But more importantly, I think he has answered those questions with the progress that we have all achieved together. Progress like passing health reform, creating millions of new jobs, slashing the unemployment rate, lifting millions of people out of poverty," she asserted.

Asking her countrymen to vote for Hillary Clinton, the First Lady said she earned sky-high approval ratings.

"She was fine then. She was competent then. We liked her then as she served as our outstanding secretary of state," she said.

"For those who question Clinton's stamina to be president, her resilience is more than proven as she discussed during the debate last week. She's the only candidate in this race who has travelled to 112 countries; who has negotiated a ceasefire, a peace agreement, a release of dissidents; who spent 11 hours testifying before a congressional committee," she said.

"And let's not forget that Hillary is one of the few people on this entire planet, and clearly the only person in this race, who has any idea what this job actually entails," Michelle added.