The editor-in-chief of Der Spiegel has defended a controversial cover showing President Donald Trump beheading the Statue of Liberty with a bloody knife, saying the German magazine is "defending democracy" in "serious times".

Appearing alongside the headline 'America First', the graphic cartoon implies a comparison between Mr Trump and decapitation-heavy Isis propaganda videos.

Combatting the terror group is a key policy aim for the Trump administration, but Der Spiegel editor Klaus Brinkbäumer suggested policies like the 'Muslim ban' refusing travel rights to refugees and citizens of seven majority-Islamic countries ran counter to liberal values.

Speaking on Reuters TV, he said: “We want to show what this is about, it's about democracy, it's about freedom, it's about freedom of the press, freedom of justice and all that is seriously endangered.

"So we are defending democracy... Are these serious times? Yes they are."

Mr Brinkbäumer went into more detail in an editorial for Der Spiegel, which, with a circulation of around 840,000, is one of Europe's largest and most influential news magazines.

He compared Mr Trump to Nero, "the emperor and destroyer of Rome", writing: "Germany must stand up in opposition to the 45th president of the United States and his government."

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

"It is literally painful to write this sentence, but the President of the United States is a pathological liar.

"The President of the US is a racist (it also hurts to write this). He is attempting a coup from the top; he wants to establish an illiberal democracy, or worse; he wants to undermine the balance of power.

"He fired an acting attorney general who held a differing opinion from his own and accused her of 'betrayal'. This is the vocabulary used by Nero."

His comments came amid fierce debate in the German and international media, with conservative commentators decrying the striking image by illustrator Edel Rodriguez, a refugee who left socialist Cuba for the United States.

Conservative broadsheet Die Welt led condemnation of the cartoon, arguing it showed Mr Trump's harshest critics had "lost all their moral guidelines".

The cartoon is currently the banner image on the magazine's Twitter and Facebook pages, while a previous Spiegel cover by Mr Rodriguez showed Donald Trump's disembodied head as a blazing comet hurtling towards Earth.