Trump news – live: White House backpedals on attack on Fauci as president's niece calls on him to resign in first TV interview

President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that “more white people” are dying at the hands of police than Black Americans, further stoking racial tension and divisions in the country.

During a CBS News interview, Mr Trump was asked why Black people were still dying as a result of police brutality, to which he replied: “And so are white people. So are white people. What a terrible question to ask. So are white people. More white people by the way.” Analysis in 2018 found that African Americans are 3.5 times as likely to be killed by police compared to white people.

The president also said that General Michael Flynn would be welcome back at the White House. Flynn has been in the throes of the legal system for three years after being fire for lying to the vice president one month into his role as national security adviser.

The president’s comments were made as the US continues to flounder in its fight against Covid-19. A total of 67,417 new cases were reported on Tuesday, the country's highest single-day jump in cases since the pandemic began.

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