President Trump is drawing flak from critics who say his plan to deliver a commencement speech at the West Point military academy in New York will create unsafe conditions for the 1,000 cadets returning to campus.

Trump is due to speak on 13 June at the academy, which is located about 60 miles (96km) from New York City, the epicentre of the US virus outbreak.

The decision led the editorial board of the New York Daily News to write that the Commander-in-Chief “is unconcerned about the damage he could cause to those around him”.

The paper asked him to “stand down” and accused him of using the occasion as a campaign publicity stunt.

The US Naval Academy in Maryland called off its own commencement and instead held a virtual graduation. The Air Force Academy in Colorado allowed seniors to graduate last week, but required them to maintain strict social distancing.