President Donald Trump says some U.S. governors have gone "too far" during the coronavirus pandemic.

Millions of Americans have been asked to stay home from work and school, and to not leave their houses unless they have to. The directives, which began in California in mid-March, have swept the nation. Currently, residents in 42 states, three counties, nine cities, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are being urged to stay home.

Protestors have taken to the streets in at least 10 states, demanding that governors reopen economies shut down by the pandemic.

"People feel that way, they are allowed to protest," Trump said during a press briefing early Sunday evening.

"I watched the protest and they were all six feet apart. Some have gone too far; some governors have gone too far. Some of the things that have happened are maybe not so appropriate. In the end it won't matter because we are starting to open up our states and I think they will open up very well. We'll be watching it closely. We are working with them on testing and on whatever they need. I don't think they need ventilators anymore. I think the term [New York] governor [Andrew Cuomo] used was phenomenal."

When asked whether he was inciting violence, Trump responded:

"I have seen interviews of the people. These are great people. They all have cabin fever. You heard the term? They have got cabin fever. They want their life back. Their life was taken away from them.

"They learned a lot during this period. They learned to do things differently than they have in the past. And when the virus passes, I hope we'll be sitting next to each other in baseball and football and ice hockey games. … These people love our country and they want to get back to work."