Trump spoke to Fox News after Tuesday’s “virtual” coronavirus town hall. Fox anchor Bill Hemmer asked Trump why he had not used the term “Chinese virus” during the event after hammering it home in the preceding days, sparking outrage from liberal commentators who claimed the phrase was racist.

“Well look, I have a very good relationship with President Xi,” Trump said. “And they went through a lot. Some people say other things. They went through a lot. They lost thousands of people. They’ve been through hell.”

“I’ve always said, whether it’s Ebola, or so many, I could name 10 of them, you take a wonderful place in Connecticut. I’m sure they’re not thrilled with the Lyme disease, right? But they do name it after places,” he said.

Trump on Monday issued a tweet condemning any racism against Asian-Americans.

The president went on to say he was correct in his terminology.  “It came from China,” he said.

When asked by Hemmer if he regretted the language, Trump was not the least repentant. “I don’t regret it. They accused us of having done it through our soldiers. They said our soldiers did it on purpose,” he said. “What kind of a thing is that?

Trump said the claim was not just a routine bit of fake news.