Donald Trump has defended tweets in which he appears to support protests against the lockdown measures in place by Democratic leaders in some US States.

On Friday, the US President wrote three tweets in capital letters which read: "LIBERATE MINNESOTA!" "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and "LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”

When asked if he feared that these protests, which see large gatherings of people close together, could spread the virus, the President told reporters: “These are people expressing their views.

“I see where they are and I see the way they’re working. They seem to be very responsible people to me, but they’ve been treated a little bit rough.”

The tweets, which all apply to states under Democratic rule, appear to contradict President's previous assurance that he would put political preferences aside during the pandemic.

Mr Trump was also adamant that the USA is not the epicentre of the pandemic and that China has been covering up the true statistics.

"We don't have the most in the world deaths," he said.

"The most in the world has to be China. 

"It's a massive country. It's gone through a tremendous problem with this, a tremendous problem - they must have the most."

His views come following the announcement that the death toll in Wuhan, the city in China from which the virus originated, is 50 per cent higher than initially reported.

The White House also said that the US has enough tests to start lifting lockdown restrictions and re-open America's economy and has promised $3bn in food to give to food banks and faith groups as well as $16bn in direct payments as part of a relief fund.