United States President DONALD TRUMP has threatened to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest over the death of a black man in police custody.

Protests over the death of GEORGE FLOYD are entering their seventh day.

President 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 ".

Dozens of major cities have imposed overnight curfews, New York City is under lockdown until Tuesday and Washington DC has extended its curfew for another two nights.

The president has come under criticism from those who accused him of aggressively targeting the peaceful demonstrators in aid of a photo opportunity.