A bookcase in the former State Department library in Washington DC has been filled with Donald Trump’s books, it has been claimed.

According to an unverified photograph that emerged on Thursday, shelves of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s library are now stocked with reading material authored by the US president.

Writing on Twitter, MSNBC journalist Christopher Hayes, who shared the photo, said: “A contact sends along a picture of a bookcase in what's called the Old State Department Library in the EEOB (Eisenhower Executive Office Building). It's the first thing you see.”

The books pictured include: Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again; Trump 101 and Midas Touch: Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich-And Why Most Don't, however it was unclear if other shelves had also been stocked with Mr Trump's books.

The Government building is situated west of the White House and originally housed the departments of State, War and Navy. The building still houses offices of many White House staff members.

The picture emerged following reports the Trump administration issued a “gag order” to prevent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials and other Government staff from speaking publicly, prompting leading scientists to accuse the President of “censorship".

Other federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture, were also told to suspend external communications, although the latter department's gag order was subsequently lifted.