Trump says virus worse 'attack' than Pearl Harbor
US President Donald Trump has described the coronavirus pandemic as the "worst attack" ever on america, pointing the finger at China.
Mr Trump said the outbreak had hit the united states harder compared to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in World War Two, or the 9/11 attacks 2 decades ago.
His administration is weighing punitive actions against China over its early handling of the global emergency.
Beijing says the US wants to distract from its response to the pandemic.
Since emerging in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, the coronavirus is confirmed to have infected 1.2 million Americans, killing a lot more than 73,000.
What did President Trump say?
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday, Mr Trump said: "We went through the worst attack we've ever endured on our country, this is worst attack we've ever had.
"That is worse than Pearl Harbor, that is worse compared to the World Trade Center. There's never been an attack such as this.
"And it should haven't happened. Could've been stopped at the source. Could've been stopped in China. It should've been stopped right at the foundation. And it wasn't."
Asked later by a reporter if he saw the pandemic as an actual act of war, Mr Trump suggested the pandemic was America's enemy, instead of China.
"I view the invisible enemy [coronavirus] as a war," he said. "I don't like how it got here, since it might have been stopped, but no, I view the invisible enemy such as a war."
