Donald Trump has described the cautious warning by his top infectious diseases expert about the consequences of lifting restrictions too early was ‘not an acceptable answer’.

The President accused Dr Anthony Fauci of wanting ‘to play all sides of the equation’ at a meeting with governors on Wednesday. 

Fauci said during a televised congressional testimony that relaxing stay at home rules too quickly could bring more ‘suffering and death’ to the nation.

The US has seen 84,000 deaths from coronavirus, the highest number in the world. 

And he also warned that students looking to return to campus in the fall would likely not have a vaccine available to them.

He said: “We just have to see on a step-by-step basis as we get into the period of time with the fall, about reopening the schools, exactly where we will be in the dynamics of the outbreak.”

But speaking at the White House later, Trump voiced his frustration with Fauci's caution about reopening schools too soon.

He told reporters: "I was surprised by his answer, actually, because, you know, it’s just to me it’s not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools.

“The only thing that would be acceptable as I said is professors, teachers, etc, over a certain age, I think they ought to take it easy for another few weeks.

“Because this is a disease that attacks age, and it attacks health.”

Mr Trump also told reporters in the meeting with governors that the virus has ‘very little impact on young people’.

“But with the young children, I mean, and students, it's really - just take a look at the statistics. It's pretty amazing.”