Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has released his first television ad in the US, just weeks before he faces the first state vote to win his party’s candidacy.

And, you guessed it, it’s controversial.

The ad repeats the Trump pledges that have generated the most controversy around the world: a total ban on Muslim immigration and a wall on the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants.

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“He’ll quickly cut the head off ISIS and take their oil,” the narrator says.

“And he’ll stop illegal immigration by building a wall on our southern border that Mexico will pay for.”

The advertisement will air in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, where Republican and Democrat members vote for their preferred party candidates on February 1 and February 9.

Mr Trump is still the most popular Republican candidate despite (or because of) his extreme views.

The billionaire celebrity has previously spent little of his own money on the campaign, claiming recently he is up to $40 million under budget.

Many analysts have suggested that part of his appeal is that he eschews the traditional political machine. Trump has previously refused to pay for TV ads and other traditional voter appeals, preferring to rely on speeches and interviews that spread widely on the internet.

But the outspoken candidate was reportedly convinced by advisors of the need for TV exposure. Trump described himself as being “very proud” of the new ad.

“I am very proud of this ad. I don’t know if I need it, but I don’t want to take any chances because if I win we are going to Make America Great Again,” he said in a statement.

Once the Republican and Democrat presidential candidates have been selected, the two will go head-to-head in the general election in November.