Trump denies downplaying virus, says ‘in many ways, I up-played it’

PHILADELPHIA — Fielding compelling questions about voters’ real-world problems, President Donald Trump denied during a televised town hall Tuesday that he had played down the threat of the coronavirus earlier this year, although there is an audio recording of him stating he did just that.

Trump also cast doubt on the widely accepted scientific conclusions of his own administration strongly urging the use of face coverings and seemed to bat away the suggestion that the nation has racial inequities.

“Well, I hope there’s not a race problem,” Trump said when asked about his campaign rhetoric.

Trump was pressed on his administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and why he doesn’t more aggressively promote the use of masks.

“There are people that don’t think masks are good,” Trump said, though his own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly urges their use.

The event, hosted by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, was a warmup of sorts before Trump faces former Vice President Joe Biden in the first presidential debate on Sept. 29. It featured Trump taking questions from an audience of just 21 voters.

Trump sought to counter his admission to journalist Bob Woodward that he was deliberately “playing it down” when discussing the threat of COVID-19 to Americans earlier this year. Trump said: “Yeah, well, I didn’t downplay it. I actually, in many ways, I upplayed it, in terms of action.”

“My action was very strong,” Trump added. “I’m not looking to be dishonest. I don’t want people to panic.”

Asked what he was doing to address protests against racial injustice, Trump lamented a “lack of respect” and the absence of “retribution” for those who clash with or carry out attacks against police officers.