Donald Trump continued on Sunday to try and deflect the ongoing Ukraine scandal on Joe Biden, predicting that the front-runner Democratic candidate won't make it to the general elections.

The president suggested that Biden and his family were given financial incentives in China and Ukraine in order to gain influence with the then-U.S. vice president.

'The Biden family was PAID OFF, pure and simple! The fake news must stop making excuses for something that is totally inexcusable,' Trump tweeted Sunday afternoon. 'Sleepy Joe said he never spoke to the Ukrainian company, and then the picture came out where he was playing golf with the company boss and Hunter.'

'And by the way,' he continued, 'I would LOVE running against 1% Joe Biden - I just don't think it's going to happen. Sleepy Joe won't get to the starting gate, & based on all of the money he & his family probably 'extorted,' Joe should hang it up. I wouldn't want him dealing with China & U!'

The new nickname for the former vice president comes as Biden continues to slip in the polls among the 20 Democratic candidates – and has even been bypassed in some polls by progressive Elizabeth Warren.

Donald Trump predicts that he won't face Joe Biden in the 2020 general elections as the former vice president's poll numbers continue to slip

Trump called Biden '1% Joe' and claimed that he and his son Hunter Biden were paid off by Ukraine and China

Biden has found himself at the center of a controversy involving potential corruption in Ukraine after Trump brought up the former vice president and his son during a call with the Ukrainian president

Previously, Trump said he would probably face either Biden, Warren or Bernie Sanders in the 2020 general elections, and said at the time that Biden was the most likely candidate to prevail.

Trump and Biden have found themselves at the center of a controversy stemming from the president's call with his Ukrainian counterpart in July.

A whistle-blower complaint was brought to light in September that revealed Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnky to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden's business dealings there.

Several Democrats claim the president set a quid pro quo of millions in military aid in exchange for the probe into his political rival – even after Trump released a transcript of the call that does not exhibit any sort of explicit quid pro quo.

Hunter accepted a position with a Ukrainian natural gas firm in 2014 – while his father was still president – and stepped down from that post earlier this year. He was reportedly paid more than $50,000 per month to serve on the board.

Biden insists he never spoke to his son about his business dealings in Ukraine, but Hunter's previous comments are contradictory. In a New Yorker article this summer, Hunter details a time in 2015 in which he discussed his job with Burisma Holdings with his father.

A picture also came out that shows the two Bidens golfing with Devon Archer, who served on Burisma's board with Hunter.

Hunter's position with Burisma raised eyebrows in Washington, but the Obama administration insisted there were no conflicts of interest since the vice president's adult son is a private citizen.

Although the phone call with Volodymyr sparked an impeachment inquiry in the House, Trump asserts that Biden should be the one getting investigated for potential corruption.

Trump said Thursday that if Ukraine 'were honest about it,' it 'would start a major investigation against the Bidens. It's a very simple answer.'

Hunter Biden (left) accepted a board position with a Ukrainian natural gas company in 2014 – while his father was still vice president

The president claims he has an 'obligation' to request assistance from foreign governments to investigate alleged corruption and claims that any asks he made of China and Ukraine were not politically motivated in any way.

'As President I have an obligation to end CORRUPTION, even if that means requesting the help of a foreign country or countries. It is done all the time. This has NOTHING to do with politics or a political campaign against the Bidens. This does have to do with their corruption!' Trump tweeted Friday.

He also suggested that China showered $1.5 billion on Hunter Biden in order to influence his father and win favorable trade deals with the United States.

'Likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens,' Trump said Thursday, 'because what happened with the Bidens in China is just about as bad.'

'President Zelensky – if it were me I would recommend they start an investigation into the Bidens because nobody has any doubt that they aren't crooked,' he added.

Earlier in the day Sunday, Trump bashed the media for its stories on the whole controversy, claiming they were trying to protect Joe and Hunter Biden.

'It is INCREDIBLE to watch and read the Fake News and how they pull out all stops to protect Sleepy Joe Biden and his thrown out of the Military son, Hunter, who was handed $100,000 a month (Plus,Plus) from a Ukrainian based company, even though he had no experience in energy, and separately got 1.5 Billion Dollars from China despite no experience and for no apparent reason,' he tweeted.

'There is NO WAY these can be legitimate transactions? As lawyers & others have stated, as President, I have an OBLIGATION to look into possible, or probable, CORRUPTION!' the president posted.