Former US president Barack Obama has called his successor Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic an “absolute chaotic disaster”.
During a conversation with former members of his administration, Mr Obama also reacted to the Justice Department dropping its criminal case against Mr Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn.
He said he worried that the “basic understanding of rule of law is at risk”, according to a recording of the conversation obtained by Yahoo News.
More than 80,000 people with Covid-19 have died in the US and more than 1.35 million people have tested positive.
Mr Obama’s comments came in a Friday call with 3,000 members of the Obama Alumni Association, people who served in his administration.
He urged his supporters to back his former vice president, Joe Biden, who is trying to unseat Mr Trump in the November 3 election.
“What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy, that has become a stronger impulse in American life," Mr Obama said.
"And by the way, we’re seeing that internationally as well. It’s part of the reason why the response to this global crisis has been so anaemic and spotty.
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Family members and visitors gather outside patient Isaias Perez Yanez's room at Sharp Coronado Hospital, California. Covid-19 patients are not allowed to have visitors for safety reasons but family members and visitors are able to view and communicate with Yanez from outside the window. Getty Images/AFP -
A vendor checks his mobile phone as he sells balloons along a street during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown in Quetta, Pakistan. AFP -
Workers sew disposable surgical gowns for health workers at a garment factory in Yangon. The factory produces 1,000 medical gowns per day to address the shortage of protective personal equipment as Myanmar battles the coronavirus pandemic. AFP -
Indian citizens arriving from Dubai by an Air India flight, arrive at the Anna International Airport as part of a massive repatriation effort, in Chennai on May 9, 2020. AFP -
Indian citizens evacuated from Dubai by Air India flight, arrive at the Anna International Airport as part of a massive repatriation effort, in Chennai on May 9, 2020. AFP -
A worker sews disposable surgical gowns for health workers at a garment factory in Yangon. AFP -
Family members watch from outside COVID-19 patient Isaias Perez Yanez's room, as he is assessed by occupational therapist Jaclyn Lien in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) at Sharp Coronado Hospital, California. Getty Images/AFP -
Malian migrant worker Tidjane attends a teleconsultation at a special medical unit set up outside a building housing migrant workers as part of a private initiative supported by the Paris city hall, in Paris. AFP -
Stylists wear protective masks and gloves while working on customer's hair at a Belazza salon in Tucson, Arizona, US. Bloomberg -
Isaias Perez Yanez, 59, in wheelchair, is hugged and applauded by family and hospital staff as he is released from Sharp Coronado Hospital in Coronado, California. Getty Images/AFP -
Muslim students wearing face masks practice social distancing while reading Quran at Daarul Qur'an Al Kautsar boarding school mosque in Bogor, West Java province, Indonesia. Reuters -
A general view of Tranzit Bus Depot in Wellington, New Zealand. Getty Images -
Senior Yard Supervisor Lipi Vitolio the windows of a bus at Tranzit Bus Depot in Wellington, New Zealand. The New Zealand government will decide whether to move to Covid-19 Alert Level 2 and ease further restrictions on Monday, 11 May. Getty Images -
An aerial photo made with a drone shows a sold out McHenry Outdoor Theater as a movie starts in McHenry, Illinois, USA. EPA -
Members of the Mothers of False Positives (Mafapo) civil organization wear face masks reading “Who gave the order?” against the spread of the novel coronavirus in Soacha, Colombia. Thousands of extrajudicial executions known as "false positives" were carried out in the biggest scandal of the Colombian military forces in their struggle of more than half a century against rebel groups. The mothers of the victims found in the making of face masks a way to make their cause visible. AFP -
People walk on a road decorated with lights and lanterns on the Vesak Day, which is celebrated in Sri Lanka on May 7th and 8th to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reuters -
Muslims attend Friday prayer at the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque after the government eased the restrictions amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reuters -
In Russian, from left, English, French and German, the Brandenburg Gate is illuminated with the word "Thank you," in Berlin, Germany. May 8th marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. AP
“It would have been bad even with the best of governments.
"It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset, of ‘What’s in it for me?’ and ‘to heck with everybody else’, is operationalised in our government."
Mr Trump has defended and boasted of his response to the virus, saying travel restrictions from China and Europe and social-distancing guidelines have prevented far greater damage.
“I think we saved millions of lives,” he said last week.
Mr Trump has criticised the Obama government over his own administration’s response to the outbreak, despite the fact that the coronavirus problem did not exist until late last year.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention struggled to develop its own test in January and then found problems with its screening kits in February.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not mention Mr Obama directly in her response to his remarks.
“President Trump’s coronavirus response has been unprecedented and saved American lives," she said.
“While Democrats were pursuing a sham witch hunt against President Trump, President Trump was shutting down travel from China."
“While Democrats encouraged mass gatherings, President Trump was deploying PPE, ventilators and testing across the country."
