Washington (CNN) Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday defended Donald Trump Jr. after his controversial comments about how Democrats have responded to the Trump administration's handling of the coronavirus.

Democrats have criticized President Donald Trump and other government agencies over a lack of preparedness, with some going as far to say the administration is downplaying the seriousness of the virus.

Pressed by Tapper about Trump Jr's claims that Democrats "seemingly hope" Americans will die from coronavirus to hurt the President in the November election, Pence said it is "understandable" the President's son would want to respond to the criticism.

"As the President said, this is no time for politics. And frankly, I think that was Don Jr.'s point. That there has been some very strong rhetoric directed at the President by some members of Congress..," the vice president said. "But responding to the kind of things that have been hurled is understandable."

Pence continued, "But what the President's charged us to do, in my conversation with Speaker Pelosi, with Senator (Chuck) Schumer, my conversations with Republican and Democratic governors, is to set the politics aside on this and to work the problem. And I want to assure your viewers, that's exactly what we're doing."

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