Donald Trump referred to journalists reporting on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as "dumb bastards" during a campaign rally in Arizona on Monday.

"They're getting tired of the pandemic, aren't they? Getting tired of the pandemic. You turn on CNN, that's all they cover," said Trump, pointing to the press at the back of the crowd. "You know why? They're trying to talk everybody out of voting. People aren't buying it, CNN, you dumb bastards. They're not buying it."

More than 219,770 Americans have died from the virus so far, and the death toll continues to rise by the hundreds every day.

Trump's mismanagement of the crisis has only contributed to the death toll, experts say, and polling has shown that the public does not trust him to handle the issue.

From an Oct. 19 Trump campaign rally:

DONALD TRUMP: Your state is doing great, you have a great governor as you know, and your state is doing great with the pandemic.
Pandemic. They're getting tired of the pandemic, aren't they? Getting tired of the pandemic. You turn on CNN, that's all they cover. COVID, COVID, pandemic, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID.
You know why? They're trying to talk everybody out of voting. People aren't buying it, CNN, you dumb bastards. They're not buying it.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.