Joe Biden accused US president Donald Trump of having temper tantrums, during a virtual town hall meeting amid the coronavirus pandemic.

During the online session on Wednesday, the former vice president criticised the way Mr Trump has handled the Covid-19 outbreak so far.

He claimed that Mr Trump spends too much time during his daily coronavirus briefings discussing what the press are reporting.

The briefings are designed to inform the US public on developments with the government's efforts to tackle the pandemic, and Mr Biden thinks the president needs to put the focus back on to that.

“He likes to say he is a wartime president. Well, he needs to step up and act like one, not harangue the press for hours on end while people are dying,” he said.

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The virtual town hall was comprised of food and transit workers, many of whom are still doing their job during the pandemic, according to the Independent.

Mr Biden said that Mr Trump is not showing empathy for those badly affected by the pandemic and is instead focusing on his authority over the country.

“Your friends and coworkers are dying, our family members and neighbours and friends are dying while Trump is having temper tantrums about his authority over whatever he wants as president. He said he’s the boss,” he said.

“Well, have we heard him offer anything that approaches a sincere expression of empathy for the people who are hurting? Mr Biden told the town hall. “Have we seen any sign that he grasps just how hard it will be for people to recover from this, not just economically but physically and emotionally as well?”

​Mr Biden added: “I don’t think this is appropriate conduct for a president.”

During his daily coronavirus briefing on Monday, Mr Trump claimed that he has total control over when states will ease social distancing measures.

“When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total. And that’s the way it’s got to be. It’s total,” he said.

On Tuesday, Mr Trump backtracked: “I’m not putting any pressure on the governors,” he said, before adding that “we’ll open it (the country) in beautiful little pieces.”