Sylvester Stallone labels Donald Trump the 'second George Washington'

Sylvester Stallone has described U.S. president-elect Donald Trump as the "second George Washington".

While introducing the Republican Party leader at the America First Policy Institute Gala held at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday, the Rocky actor praised Trump's win over Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris in the election earlier this month.

Stallone also compared the politician to Washington, the Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797.

"I'll just say this - and I mean it," he enthused. "When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world. Because without him, you could imagine what the world would look like. Guess what? We got the second George Washington. Congratulations!"

Elsewhere, Stallone likened Trump to his iconic character, Rocky Balboa, from the boxing film franchise.

To emphasise the point, he recalled the opening frame in the 1976 movie, which pans out from a painting of Jesus Christ onto Rocky being hit in the gym.

"At that moment, he was a chosen person and that's how I began the journey - something was gonna happen, this man was gonna go through a metamorphosis and change lives, just like President Trump," the 78-year-old continued. "We're in the presence of a really mythical character. I love mythology. And this individual does not exist on this planet. Nobody in the world could have pulled off what he pulled off, so I'm in awe."

Following the introduction, Trump walked onto the stage and shared a long-held handshake with Stallone.

Previously, the Tulsa King star has remained quiet about his political affiliations.

But in a 2016 interview with Variety, he revealed that he "loves" Trump and considers him to be a "great Dickensian character".