US Republican candidate Donald Trump has scrambled to smooth out an embarrassing blunder which saw him describe one of America’s most defining moments of the 21st century as ‘7-Eleven’.

The US businessman was speaking at a rally in Buffalo, New York, on Tuesday afternoon (AEST) when he seemed to confuse the landmark ‘9/11’ date with the popular convenience store.

“I was down there and I watched our police and our firemen, down on 7-11, down at the World Trade Center, right after it came down, and I saw the greatest people I’ve ever seen in action,” he said.

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“I saw the bravest people I’ve ever seen, including the construction workers, including every person down there.”

Trump regularly discussed the horrific events of September 11, 2001 during his campaign, describing first-responders as exemplifying New York values.

Candidates are currently doing the rounds of Trump’s home state of New York, ahead of Tuesday’s primary.

See a clip of the speech below.