The US President Donald Trump has cited the US Constitution while defending outlier states who refuse to implement shutdowns to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The President said he felt there were a number of variables from state to state, saying some areas of the US had a mitigated risk because they were less populous.

Some of those states include Missouri, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Iowa. The states have come under increasing scrutiny for their decision not to implement wide stay-at-home orders as the situation becomes difficult to manage in states like New York and California.

However, Trump repeated comments he's previously made about reopening the country at some stage. “We’ve got to get this country open,” Mr Trump said. “This country was not designed to be closed.”

He repeated the sentiments again later in the briefing saying: "We've got to get back, and get back soon".

“It’s just an incredible situation. There’s never been anything like this," Trump said opening the briefing.

The federal government is currently working to build temporary field hospitals in New York, Texas and Louisiana to assist with the skyrocketing number of cases across the country.

“This will be probably the toughest week, between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death, unfortunately.

“But a lot less death than if this wasn’t done, but there will be death. We’re looking for an obvious focus and the hardest-hit regions.

“Some of them are obvious and some are not so obvious. They spring up, they hit you like you got hit by a club. An area that wasn’t at all bothered – you look at what’s going on in New Jersey, the governor is doing an excellent job by the way – but how that sprang up.

“Every decision we’re making is made to save lives. It’s really our sole consideration. We want to save lives.

"We want as few lives lost as possible.”