Trump once said he wasn't concerned about contracting coronavirus

A new recording from US President Donald Trump's April 13 interview with journalist Bob Woodward has emerged that shows him saying he wasn't concerned about contracting the novel coronavirus.

The irony is Trump now is hospitalised with COVID-19 in the military hospital, upending the upcoming presidential election. And his Democratic challenger Joe Biden, who he used to mock for being too cautious about the virus, is now on a campaign trail.

CNN on Friday obtained a new audio recording from Woodward's April 13 interview with Trump that sheds new light on the president's mindset. While Trump admitted to Woodward the virus is a "plague" that "rips you apart," he dismissed concerns about his own health.

"You're risking getting it, of course," said Woodward. "The way you move around and have those briefings and deal with people. Are you worried about that?"

"No, I'm not. I don't know why I'm not. I'm not," the President responded.

"Why?" Woodward asked.

"I don't know," Trump said. "I'm just not."

Trump has often been criticised for his mishandling and downplaying of the pandemic. He also has contradicted or undermined the recommendations from experts in his own administration. And he has repeatedly said that the end of the virus' spread was just around the corner.

The president's rosy assessment of the public-health crisis had not diminished even in the hours leading up to announcing his positive test results early Friday morning. In prerecorded remarks for Thursday night's Al Smith charity dinner, Trump proclaimed that the "end of the pandemic is in sight."

According to a previous report by CNN, Trump told Woodward a story about a meeting of about 10 people in the Oval Office where someone in the room sneezed.

"You know, just a sneeze, the entire room bailed out, OK? Including me, by the way," Trump said.

Meanwhile, Biden has the proverbial last laugh.

At a rally in Michigan, he said, "This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically."

Biden urged all Americans to follow scientific guidelines, including wearing masks, washing hands frequently and staying 6 feet (1.83 m) apart. Health officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, have said masks are a crucial tool for slowing the spread of the virus.

"Be patriotic," Biden said. "It's not about being a tough guy. It`s about doing your part."