The total number of U.S. deaths from COVID-19 have reached 58,351

U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on China for failing to tame the coronavirus at its very origin, saying it has led to 184 countries “going through hell”, as several American lawmakers demanded steps to reduce dependence on Beijing for manufacturing and minerals.

Trump has been publicly blaming China for the global spread of the “invisible enemy” and launched an investigation against it. He has also indicated that the U.S. may be looking at “a lot more money” in damages from China than the $140 billion being sought by Germany from Beijing for the pandemic.

Leaders of the U.S., the U.K. and Germany believe that the deaths and the destruction of the global economy could have been avoided, had China shared the information about the virus in its early phases.

“It’s in 184 countries, as you hear me say often. It’s hard to believe. It’s inconceivable,” Trump told reporters at White House Tuesday. “It should have been stopped at the source, which was China. It should have been stopped very much at the source, but it wasn’t. And now we have 184 countries going through hell.

The massive outbreak in the U.S. has put Trump under increasing pressure from American lawmakers to decrease U.S. dependence on Beijing and they have also sought compensation from China.

Congressman Brian Mast on Tuesday introduced a legislation to hold China accountable for its “coronavirus deception”. The resolution would empower the U.S. to withhold payments on debts owed to China equal to the costs incurred by the U.S. in response to COVID-19.

China’s total lack of transparency and mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak has cost tens of thousands of lives, millions of jobs and left untold economic destruction. Congress must hold China accountable for their cover-up and force them to pay back the taxpayer dollars that have been spent as a result, Mast said.