ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
US President Donald Trump has responded to criticism over his Tweets supporting anti-lockdown protests in three states.
During his White House briefing, he defended his Tweets that urged to “liberate” Virginia, Minnesota and Michigan, claiming the Democratic governors are being "too tough" while implementing the stay-at-home orders.
"What they've done is very powerful. You know you could get the same result with doing a little bit less," he explained.
On Thursday, Trump said he was sympathetic to the demonstrators, but "they seem to be protesters who like me... my opinion is just about the same as all of the governors".
Several people have protested against the stay-at-home orders, claiming they are unreasonably limiting movement and affecting the economy.
This comes as the country records more than 710,000 positive cases and over 37,000 deaths.
Israel pounded Lebanon with more than 120 air strikes on Tuesday in one of the heaviest days of bombing in weeks, Lebanese security sources said, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military was deepening its operations in the country.
Syria's transitional leadership has located remnants of former President Bashar al-Assad's clandestine chemical weapons programme, including raw materials and munitions similar to those used to carry out deadly gas attacks during the country's long-running civil war.
US President Donald Trump, who turns 80 next month, said "everything checked out perfectly" after having his physical on Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical ​Center, following a year of public attention on apparently minor health issues.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday negotiating a deal with Iran could "take a few days," quashing hopes for an imminent end to the conflict a day after US forces conducted what Washington called defensive strikes in southern Iran.