President Trump's onetime Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, said the coronavirus would be under better control in the United States if she were president.
"We sure could have done a better job saving lives — modeling better, more responsible behavior," Clinton told the Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast. "I don't think we necessarily should have had as deep an economic assault on livelihoods and jobs as we have. So I know I would have done a better job."
Clinton, a former U.S. senator, secretary of state, and first lady, added that she felt "frustrated" being stuck on the sidelines.
The coronavirus pandemic, the outbreak of which has been tied back to Wuhan, China, has led to 2.8 million cases in the U.S., and more than 130,000 of those who became infected have died.
Recent spikes, largely in the South, have prompted state and local officials to halt plans to reopen their economies and enforce new restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus.
Trump, who has defended his administration's actions against critics who say he didn't react to the outbreak quickly enough, has been pushing for states to reopen. Even with large swaths of the country seeing a jump in cases, Trump claimed the crisis has been "handled" as he touted an economic comeback.
Trump's refusal to wear a mask publicly has also been a topic of national interest, and the president only recently appeared to change his tone, saying, "I'm all for masks."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that "people wear cloth face coverings in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain." Some states and localities have enacted mandatory face mask orders.
Clinton slammed Trump's leadership, saying he is an example of a president who wasn't prepared for the job. She also said Russia helped him win the 2016 election, in which she won the popular vote but not the Electoral College.
