Washington DC, Feb. 1 -- US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) directed the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not to intervene in "protests and/or riots" in Democratic-led cities unless local authorities formally request federal assistance, amid mounting criticism over his administration's use of aggressive immigration enforcement measures.

In a detailed post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help."

Trump emphasised that while federal agencies would not proactively intervene, they would c...