Campaigning in California ahead of the state's critical primary, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton remembered Ali with a subtle jab against the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Clinton said the US was a country "where people can break down barriers, where they can worship their own God, where they can choose their own name."

Democrat Bernie Sanders also commemorated Ali with a direct jab at Trump and his supporters saying, “to all of Donald Trump's supporters who think it is appropriate to tell us that they love Muhammad Ali, but they hate Muslims, understand, understand that Muhammad Ali was a very devout Muslim who took his religion very seriously.”

Trump took to Twitter to remember the boxing great, saying Ali was “a truly great champion and a wonderful guy. He will be missed by all!”

Sanders said: “Muhammad Ali was one of the extraordinary people of our time. He was not only a great heavyweight champion, but the reason that he was loved so much, not only in our country but throughout the entire globe, I think he was one of the most beloved figures on the entire planet, was because he was a man of extraordinary honesty and courage. (Applause) To all of Donald Trump's supporters who think it is appropriate to tell us that they love Muhammad Ali, but they hate Muslims, understand, understand that Muhammad Ali was a very devout Muslim who took his religion very seriously. (Applause) And when we talk about courage, please remember that at the primetime of his fighting life when he was the heavyweight champion of the world, when he had the opportunity to make tens of millions of dollars, he refused to go to war in Vietnam.”

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