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United States President Donald Trump says a report into the origins of the coronavirus outbreak will reveal what happened in China to cause the pandemic.
Key points:
- Donald Trump said China is embarrassed by the health crisis
- He said there was no doubt the coronavirus originated in China
- The interview was part of a virtual town hall hosted by Fox News
Mr Trump held a virtual town hall meeting televised by American broadcaster Fox News, captured in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, local time.
He answered a range of questions, mainly focused on the coronavirus pandemic, and the country’s trade with China.
During the broadcast, the President said a report would soon be published by the US to reveal what they believe was the cause of the global health crisis.
"We’re going to be giving a very strong report as to exactly what we think happened. And I think it will be very conclusive," he said.
"Personally, I think they made a horrible mistake, and they didn’t want to admit it."
The statement comes after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there was "a significant amount of evidence" coronavirus emerged from a Chinese laboratory.
When questioned during the town hall, Mr Trump said he believed China could have reacted better to the outbreak.
"They knew they had a problem, I think they were embarrassed by the problem."
Mr Trump believes there could be a vaccine for coronavirus by the end of the year.
He told Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum he didn't care which country was able to develop the vaccine first.
"We are putting the full power and might behind this drug," he said.
Trump takes swipe at presumptive election rival
The US President was critical of the man he expects to challenge during this year's election, Joe Biden, for his performance as vice president under Barack Obama.
Mr Biden took to social media over the weekend claiming Mr Trump had left the United States "unprepared" for the coronavirus outbreak.
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"Trump can try and shift blame all he wants, but the fact is his actions left us unprepared," Mr Biden wrote.
Mr Trump took a swipe at the former Vice President before claiming he and President Obama had numerous failures while in office.
"Joe Biden didn't write that [tweet]. That was written from a young man who got very good grades at a very good school," Mr Trump said during the town hall interview.
"Look how badly they did on Swine Flu.
"Look how badly they have done on so many other things. Just about everything was a mess."
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'You're taking my cards away'
Mr Trump also accused a journalist of "taking his cards away" while answering a question on producing antibiotics.
During the town hall, the president was asked by MacCallum how long it would take for the US to begin producing its own antibiotics.
Mr Trump said he believed the country could be self-sufficient in antibiotics within two years, before accusing MacCallum of putting him in a tough negotiating position.
"Frankly, you put me in a very bad negotiating position by asking me this question," he said.
"I'm not blaming you, that's your job, but you're taking my cards away because I don't want to be talking this way.
"You do take away a lot of my cards when you're [asking] a question like that."
These comments came minutes after Mr Trump accused the media of being hostile towards him.
He said during the interview no past president had been treated more harshly.
"I am greeted with a hostile press the likes of which no president has ever seen," Mr Trump said.
"They come at me with questions that are disgraceful, to be quite honest."
