(CNN) Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said it is "disgusting" and "almost criminal" that President Donald Trump knew of the serious risk posed by the coronavirus in February and then downplayed its threat in March. "He acknowledged this -- you breathe it, it's in the air -- and he won't put on a mask. He's talking about, 'It's ridiculous to put on a mask, what do you need social distancing for? Woodward's book, for which Trump gave 18 interviews, includes Trump saying on February 7 that "this is deadly stuff" and on March 19 that "I wanted to always play it down." The news about Trump's handling of the virus comes less than three weeks before his first debate with Biden, who has led recent national and swing-state polls.

Source: CNN September 09, 2020 22:22 UTC