Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton John BoltonDiplomacy with China is good for America The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep DOJ launches probe into Bolton book for possible classified information disclosures MORE defended President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE’s 2018 decision to shutter the National Security Council’s (NSC) office overseeing responses to pandemics, saying the move did not hinder the government’s response to the coronavirus.

“Claims that streamlining NSC structures impaired our nation's bio defense are false. Global health remained a top NSC priority, and its expert team was critical to effectively handling the 2018-19 Africa Ebola crisis. The angry Left just can't stop attacking, even in a crisis,” Bolton tweeted Saturday morning.

Claims that streamlining NSC structures impaired our nation's bio defense are false. Global health remained a top NSC priority, and its expert team was critical to effectively handling the 2018-19 Africa Ebola crisis. The angry Left just can't stop attacking, even in a crisis. — John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) March 14, 2020

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The remark from Bolton comes a day after Trump was pressed on his decision to disband the pandemic response team on the NSC in 2018. While responsibility for monitoring threats from infectious diseases was shifted to another group within the NSC, the move was reportedly interpreted as a downgrading of the administration’s priority for global health security.

“Well, I just think it’s a nasty question,” Trump fired back when asked about the closure. “I don’t know anything about it. I mean, you say we did that. I don’t know anything about it. Disbanding, no, I don’t know anything about it.”

The Trump administration has faced a wave of criticism over its handling of the coronavirus, with Democrats saying the White House’s halting rollout of testing kits exacerbated the spread of the virus.

More than 2,000 confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported in the U.S., and at least 49 patients have died, according to The New York Times’s tally.