JOE BIDEN has sensationally labelled Donald Trump America's "first" racist President.
The Democratic presidential nominee made the comments during a virtual town hall meeting organised by the Service Employees International Union.
He was asked whether he believes there has been a rise in racism during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was quizzed on Mr Trump's use of the phrase "the China virus" to describe coronavirus.
Biden's response was stern: "The way he deals with people based on the colour of their skin, their national origin, where they’re from, is absolutely sickening," the said.
"No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never, never.
"No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president.
"We've had racists, and they've existed. They've tried to get elected president.
"He's the first one that has."
The former Vice President added that he thought Trump was using racism "as a wedge" to divide people and to distract them from his mishandling of the pandemic in the US.
Continually referring to it as the "China virus" encourages people to blame China and not the President.
Donald Trump says "I've done more for black Americans than anybody, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln"
Read the latest here: https://t.co/4ozTbgvoxl pic.twitter.com/TvqfvfR6hr— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 22, 2020
Despite Biden's words, Trump claimed that he had "done more for black Americans than anybody, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln."
"Nobody has even been close," he said at a White House press briefing on Wednesday.