Donald Trump has urged governors, law enforcement officials and national security officials to take a more forceful approach in responding to protests around the country sparked by the death of George Floyd.

The president held a call with officials on Monday morning, after a week of protests and riots around the US. On the call, the president urged governors and law enforcement officials to “dominate” the protesters, according to a source who listened in.

Trump, the source said, repeatedly urged the participants to act more forcefully, and also urged the officials and governors not to be weak.

According to a second official with knowledge of the call, the president said governors need to be much tougher. This source said the president warned them against being “overridden” and argued that if they did not dominate protesters, “you’re wasting your time, they are gonna run over you, you’re going to look like a bunch of jerks.”

Some governors pushed back, though others did not, at what multiple officials listening in characterized it as an extended rant by the president.

Trump also said states should enact laws against flag burning.

The call came amid an increasing sense of alarm across the US, as some protests have descended into rioting and looting. Multiple governors and elected officials have activated national guard units to try to keep the protests from getting out of hand.

Former vice-president Joe Biden, the de facto Democratic nominee for president, scheduled his own town hall with mayors and elected officials on Monday.