Trump says he asked for coronavirus testing to be slowed down because there were so many cases

The Independent employs reporters around the world to bring you truly independent journalism. To support us, please consider a contribution.

Donald Trump has told supporters at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma that he asked for the rate of coronavirus testing to be slowed down because there were so many positive cases being found in the United States.

Repeating a point he has previously made, he suggested that the reason the US is leading the world in the number of infections and deaths is because so much testing has been done.

He said: "Testing is a double-edged sword. We've tested now 25 million people. It's probably 20 million people more than anybody else. Germany's done a lot, South Korea's done a lot – they call me and say 'The job you're doing ...'.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

"Here's the bad part: when you do testing to that extent, you're going to find more people, you're going to find more cases. So I said to my people, slow the testing down please."

The US has at least 2.2 million confirmed cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and at least 119,000 deaths.

Shape Created with Sketch. Donald Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma Show all 16 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Donald Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma 1/16 A Trump supporter sits in the upper rows of the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally. There were reports of far lower numbers attending than the president's team had predicted Getty Images 2/16 Donald Trump points to his shoe at a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma during a lengthy explanation of why he walked so carefully on a ramp at West Point military academy a week earlier Getty Images 3/16 A police officer gestures during a Black Lives Matter event near the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by Donald Trump AP 4/16 Trump supporters take their seats in the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by the president. Many people in the crowd were choosing not to wear face masks despite medical recommendations during the coronavirus pandemic AP 5/16 Merchandise vendors wearing face masks at the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a Donald Trump rally Getty Images 6/16 Trump supporter Scott Hilliard, left, argues with Black Lives Matter protester Eugene Smith near the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by the president AP 7/16 A Trump supporter and a Black Lives Matter protester face off in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by Donald Trump AFP via Getty Images 8/16 A protester shouts at Donald Trump supporters outside a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 9/16 Eric Trump, Donald Trump's second son, in the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally AP 10/16 A woman wearing a T-shirt with the message 'I Can't Breathe' is arrested after refusing to leave the area outside the rally, which she said she had a ticket for AFP via Getty Images 11/16 A woman speaks to police officers during a protest against racial injustice outside a Donald Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 12/16 Brad Parscale, Donald Trump's campaign manager, in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of the president's first rally in three months Getty Images 13/16 A protester against racial injustice is arrested outside a Donald Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 14/16 A Trump supporter wearing a Make America Great Again cap speaking outside a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 15/16 Trump supporters wait to enter a rally at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma AFP via Getty Images 16/16 Donald Trump supporters and opponents clash outside the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of an election rally by the president AP 1/16 A Trump supporter sits in the upper rows of the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally. There were reports of far lower numbers attending than the president's team had predicted Getty Images 2/16 Donald Trump points to his shoe at a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma during a lengthy explanation of why he walked so carefully on a ramp at West Point military academy a week earlier Getty Images 3/16 A police officer gestures during a Black Lives Matter event near the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by Donald Trump AP 4/16 Trump supporters take their seats in the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by the president. Many people in the crowd were choosing not to wear face masks despite medical recommendations during the coronavirus pandemic AP 5/16 Merchandise vendors wearing face masks at the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a Donald Trump rally Getty Images 6/16 Trump supporter Scott Hilliard, left, argues with Black Lives Matter protester Eugene Smith near the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by the president AP 7/16 A Trump supporter and a Black Lives Matter protester face off in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally by Donald Trump AFP via Getty Images 8/16 A protester shouts at Donald Trump supporters outside a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 9/16 Eric Trump, Donald Trump's second son, in the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of a campaign rally AP 10/16 A woman wearing a T-shirt with the message 'I Can't Breathe' is arrested after refusing to leave the area outside the rally, which she said she had a ticket for AFP via Getty Images 11/16 A woman speaks to police officers during a protest against racial injustice outside a Donald Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 12/16 Brad Parscale, Donald Trump's campaign manager, in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of the president's first rally in three months Getty Images 13/16 A protester against racial injustice is arrested outside a Donald Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 14/16 A Trump supporter wearing a Make America Great Again cap speaking outside a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma REUTERS 15/16 Trump supporters wait to enter a rally at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma AFP via Getty Images 16/16 Donald Trump supporters and opponents clash outside the BOK Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma ahead of an election rally by the president AP

Worldwide there have been 8.9 million cases and 466,000 deaths.

While rates are going down in many countries and some parts of the US – including New York, previously the epicentre of the pandemic – some states have been registering record one-day rises.

Tulsa county itself, where the president was holding his first campaign rally in three months, saw a record rise on Friday, as did Florida, Arizona, Nevada and South Carolina. The number of cases has also been going up in Texas.

Many supporters at the rally were choosing not to wear face masks or observe social distancing, despite pleas by health experts and politicians.

The CDC has suggested the US death toll could hit 145,000 by 11 July.