Donald Trump has pushed back against a question on police killings of black people in the US by saying more white people die at the hands of officers.
The president was asked during an interview with CBS News why African Americans are still dying at the hands of police.
Mr Trump responded: "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. More white people.”
Half of the people shot and killed by US police are white, but black Americans are shot at a disproportionate rate, according to analysis.
They account for less than 13 percent of the US population but are killed by police at more than twice the rate of white Americans, the latest data from the Washington Post showed.
Police violence against African Americans has been at the centre of attention in the United States following the May 25 death of George Floyd as a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck.
Mr Floyd's death sparked protests across the United States and the world.
The recent social unrest also raised new questions about the continued flying of the Confederate battle flag in some areas of the country.
Asked by CBS if the flag should be "taken down," Mr Trump responded: "I know people that like the Confederate flag and they're not thinking about slavery."
He added: "It's freedom of speech," whether the issue is the Confederate flag "or Black Lives Matter or anything else you want to talk about."
