Donald Trump abruptly brought a White House press conference to a close saying he had to take an urgent phone call.

The President had been responding to questions following the indictment of a police officer in Louisville following the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

But he suddenly interrupted proceedings, saying: “I have to leave for an emergency phone call. … I’ll be back. I will see you tomorrow."

As he began to walk away a reporter can be heard asking him what his message is to those who do not feel justice was served in Taylor’s case.

Protests were sparked yesterday after only one officer, Brett Hankison, was charged with wanton endangerment in connection with Taylor’s shooting in March. 

Those charges related to him shooting in her neighbour’s house, not to her death. The other two officers involved, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, had no charges brought against them.

Earlier in the press conference Trump reacted to the verdict and said the case had been ‘handled well’ and he praised Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron for 'doing a fantastic job. I think he's a star’.

Trump quoted the statement Cameron delivered alongside the charging announcement: "Justice is not often easy. It does not fit the mold of public opinion and it does not conform to shifting standards.

"It answers only to the facts and to the law. If we simply act on emotion or outrage, there is no justice. Justice sought by violence is not justice. It just becomes revenge."

Trump then said ‘justice is not easy’ and ‘mob justice is not justice’.

He added: “I said ‘write that down for me please because I think it was a terrific statement’.”

Earlier in the day Trump was asked what he wanted to say to the black community.

He said: “Well, my message is that I love the black community. And I've done more for the black community than any other president. And I say, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln.”

Breonna Taylor, a 26 year-old emergency medical technician, was shot several times in her own home in March after officers performed a no-knock warrant in a drugs case they were investigating. No drugs were found on Taylor’s property.