Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of the US judicial system as judges were examining the legality of his controversial ban on people travelling from seven mainly Muslim countries.

“I don’t ever want to call a court biased,” Trump told police chiefs and sheriffs in Washington, continuing, “so I won’t call it biased and we haven’t had a decision yet. But, courts seem to be so political and it would be so great for our justice system if they would be able to read a statement and do what is right.”

The president said he thought the country’s security was at risk.

The appeals court must decide whether Trump was within his authority to issue the executive order, or if it amounts to a discriminatory ban targeting Muslims.

It is not the first time Trump has called the US justice system into question. Last week he lashed out at the Seattle judge who put a temporary block on the ban, refering to James Robart as a ‘so-called judge’.