The coronavirus pandemic continues to claim thousands of lives across the United States, thinning Donald Trump's chance of getting re-elected in the election, which is just around the corner. The president ignored questions from Pennsylvania voters surrounding his handling of coronavirus, denying that he downplayed the initial outbreak and acted strongly to restrict its spread.

"Well I didn't downplay it," Trump told an undecided voter at ABC's town hall that aired on Sept. 15. The president said, on the contrary, he up-played it in terms of action.

Recordings of journalist Bob Woodward's conversation with the president surfaced online ahead of the release of Woodward's new book entitled, "Rage." In interviews with Woodward, Trump admitted that he knew more about the severity of the virus earlier than previously known.

While in his public appearances at the time, Trump assured Americans that the coronavirus would just disappear one day, he was privately revealing to Woodward that the virus was deadlier than the flu. In March, the president told Woodward that he wanted to play the virus down, and still likes playing it down because he doesn't want to create panic, CNN reported.

After the recordings with Woodward surfaced, Trump explained that he was a cheerleader for the United States and didn't want to create panic responding to the remarks he made to Woodward. Noting that he loves America earlier this month, Trump said he didn't want Americans to be frightened, and create panic.

When he was confronted on Tuesday for not doing enough to control the spread of the virus, Trump said he did. He went on to explain that his action was strong because of what he did with China by putting a ban on. Trump added that he also put a ban on Europe.

The president insisted that his decision to put the ban at the right time saved thousands of lives, adding that what he did is called action, because it was not just with the mouth but in actual fact. Regardless of how they describe it, a talent of luck, Trump said they did a good job by putting that ban on as it helped them save several lives.

Earlier this week, Trump contradicted the top health advisers of his administration that have been urging Americans to wear face masks to stop the virus from spreading. The president said several people think that masks aren't good while responding to a question about why he did not support a nation-wide mask mandate and why he doesn't always wear one.