President Trump brushed aside a question about reports that surfaced Tuesday suggesting a White House staffer used the term "kung flu" to refer to the coronavirus.

"There are some, at least one White House official, who used the term 'kung flu,' referring to the fact that this virus started in China. Is that acceptable?" asked PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday.

"I wonder who said that. You know who said that?" Trump asked.

"I’m not sure the person’s name," Alcindor responded.

The president asked her to say the term again.

"A person at the White House used the term 'kung flu.' My question is: Do you think that's wrong? And do you think using the term 'Chinese virus' puts Asian Americans at risk, that people would target them?" Alcindor asked.

"No, not at all. Not at all," Trump said, adding that Asian Americans "probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China. There’s nothing not to agree with."

Trump opened the press conference by saying he was "seeing some important developments in our war against the Chinese virus."

Chinese government officials and Trump critics have labeled the phrase as racist and prejudiced.

Earlier in the briefing, a different reporter asked him if calling the virus the "Chinese virus" is racist.

"It's not racist," Trump said. "It comes from China. I want to be accurate."





Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include the full question asked by PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor.

