Actor Johnny Depp has apologised after making a not-so-thinly-veiled threat against United States President Donald Trump during an appearance at England’s Glastonbury music festival.

“It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone,” the actor said in an exclusive statement to People magazine on Friday afternoon.

The White House condemned his remarks in a statement and the Secret Service also confirmed it was aware of Depp’s comments.

“President Trump has condemned violence in all forms and it’s sad that others like Johnny Depp have not followed his lead. I hope that some of Mr. Depp’s colleagues will speak out against this type of rhetoric as strongly as they would if his comments were directed to a Democrat elected official,” a statement read.

WH official sends this response to Johnny Depp comments –> pic.twitter.com/571ELQqo9t

— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) June 23, 2017

The 54-year-old star was introducing a screening of his 2004 film, The Libertine, at the festival’s outdoor cinema when talk to turned to Mr Trump, before a crowd of about 1500 people.

“Can we bring Trump here?,” Depp joked to boos from the crowd.

“Just to give him some love and rehabilitation!” a crowd member yelled out.

“I think he needs help,” Depp agreed. “And there are a lot of wonderful dark, dark places he could go.

“By the way, this is going to be in the press. It will be horrible. I like that you are all a part of it,” he added, before things got a bit more heated.

“I want to qualify, I am not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it has been a while, and maybe it is time,” Depp said.

Regardless of Mr Trump’s divisive politics, the majority of social media users felt the joke was in poor taste, particularly given that Republican congressman Steve Scalise was shot last week in an assassination attempt at a baseball practice session in Virginia.

“Should be fun for Johnny-boy when he tries to get back into the US,” one Twitter user joked, referring to the the United States’ tough immigration policies.

https://twitter.com/Chet_Cannon/status/878035497259384832

Depp, who has portrayed Mr Trump before on screen in the 2016 television movie, The Art of the Deal, joins comedian Kathy Griffin in the growing group of celebrities to denounce the President.

Griffin was widely condemned for a posing for photographs holding a fake severed, bloodied head in Mr Trump’s likeness.

She later apologised for the stunt after losing several endorsements and hosting gigs.

“I went way too far,” Griffin said. “The image is too disturbing; I understand how it offends people. It wasn’t funny. I get it. I beg for your forgiveness.”