Biden on Trump’s coronavirus response: ‘He’s quit on this country’

Former Vice President Joe Biden slammed President Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic during a speech in Delaware on Tuesday, arguing that the president has failed the American people.

“This man simply does not understand. He can’t deal with our economic crisis without serving, saving and solving the public health crisis,” the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said during an address outlining his economic recovery plan for families.

“For all his bluster about his expertise on the economy, he’s unable to explain how he’ll actually help working families hit the hardest,” Biden continued. “You know, he’s quit on you, and he’s quit on this country, but this election is not just about him. It’s about us. It’s about you. It’s about what we’ll do, what a president’s supposed to do.” 

The former vice president made the remark while rolling out his “Build Back Better” economic recovery plan in New Castle, Del.

The plan is meant to stimulate the caregiving economy by providing tax credits to people who care for seniors, disabled individuals and children. The proposal is estimated to cost $775 billion over 10 years.

Biden’s latest comments echoed an attack he levied against Trump on Monday in which he accused the president of having “raised the white flag” in combating the coronavirus.

“I think he’s right, no country has ever done what he’s done — walk away,” Biden told MSNBC’s Joy Reid on Monday. “There is no leadership here.”

Coronavirus cases have skyrocketed in a number of states across the country recently. The virus has infected roughly 3.8 million people in the U.S. and killed more than 140,000 people, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The Trump administration has received backlash from critics who say the U.S. is behind in testing and that there is too much of a focus on opening up the economy. Trump said on Monday that the White House will resume coronavirus task force briefings this week, with the first one slated for Tuesday at 5 p.m. EDT.