Donald Trump has suggested that George Floyd, the man who died at the hands of US police last week sparking worldwide protests, will be “looking down” and having a “great day” because of a fall in the unemployment rate.

The president made the comments at the White House while trumpeting new figures showing the US economy adding 2.5m jobs last month.

He said: “Hopefully George is looking down and seeing this is a great thing that’s happening for our country,

“It’s a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day in terms of equality.”

Floyd was killed after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25.

His death sparked protests in almost every major US city. Trump has described protesters as “thugs” and threatened to use the military against them.

The president and his attorney general are being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter for what the groups called an “unconstitutional” and “frankly criminal attack” on protesters outside the White House earlier this week.

A peaceful demonstration was violently dispersed just so Trump could pose outside a church with a bible.

Trump, who is relying on economic performance to help him win re-election in November, spent Friday highlighting the latest data which shows unemployment fell unexpectedly in May to 13.3%, from 14.7% in April.

The president did not mention that the current rate is still on a par with what the nation witnessed during the Great Depression and comes after record-breaking losses.