Photo Credit: AFP

President Donald Trump has threatened to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest in the US over the death of a black man in police custody.

George Floyd, an unarmed black man  was killed when a white police officer knelt on his neck, leading to the worst civil unrest in decades in the United States.

Trump said if cities and states failed to control the protests and “defend their residents” he would deploy the army and “quickly solve the problem for them”.

“I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and the wanton destruction of property,” Trump said.

“If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them,” he added.

Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden criticised  Trump on Tuesday for “serving the passions of his base”.

“We’re not going to allow any president to quiet our voice,” Biden said.

Thousands of people have participated in the nationwide demonstrations against police brutality and racism since Floyd’s killing.

It has been the most widespread unrest in the United States since 1968, when cities went up in flames over the slaying of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Many of the demonstrations have been peaceful and marked by moments of catharsis but some have been marred with violence including looting of businesses and destruction of property.