Has Kellyanne Conway violated US ethics rules with Ivanka plug?

One of Donald Trump's top advisors has been "counselled" after promoting his daughter Ivanka Trump's clothing line in a television interview.

"Go buy Ivanka's stuff is what I'm going to say," Conway said during an interview with Fox & Friends.

It was a "wonderful line," she added, saying: "I own some of it. I fully - I'm gonna just going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today everybody. You can find it online."

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Conway's comments came following a tweet on Wednesday from President Trump complaining his daughter had "been treated so unfairly" by Nordstrom department store after it dropped her clothing line due to poor sales.

Why is this a problem?

The endorsement "appeared to violate a key ethics rule barring federal employees from using their public office to endorse products, the Washington Post says, and prompted a rare acknowledgment from the White House of an ethical misstep.

In a "terse statement" to journalists, press secretary Sean Spicer said Conway had been "counselled on the subject", but refused to say whether she would be disciplined.

What are the rules on public officials promoting products?

Watchdogs groups Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Public Citizen called for an investigation, citing regulations that stipulate: "An employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity."

What has been the reaction?

Criticism from within the Republican Party has been unusually vigorous.

Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the committee on oversight and government reform, told NBC: "That was wrong, wrong, wrong. It is wholly unacceptable - no if, ands or buts about it."

The committee's ranking Democrat, Elijah Cummings, was equally critical, promising that he and Chaffetz were "jointly going to send a letter to the White House and Office of Government Ethics for a referral."

Could Conway face punishment?

According to the Washington Post, executive-branch employees who violate endorsement rules "could face significant disciplinary action, including a multi-day suspension and loss of pay".