Joe Scarborough, the co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” on Thursday warned people not to let President Donald Trump distract them with his xenophobic description of the coronavirus.

Trump has repeatedly used the racist term “Chinese Virus” in recent days, and defended his language at a news conference Wednesday. World Health Organization guidelines caution leaders not to give geographic labels to diseases to avoid stigmatization.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you. The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020

I only signed the Defense Production Act to combat the Chinese Virus should we need to invoke it in a worst case scenario in the future. Hopefully there will be no need, but we are all in this TOGETHER! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020

Scarborough acknowledged Trump’s term is “offensive” but warned “liberals and progressives and people in the media” that the president was “poking at you.”

“He wants you to become outraged so you will talk about that instead of talking about tests, so you’ll talk about that instead of talking about ventilators,” Scarborough continued.

“It’s called a rabbit trail,” he added. “Yes, it is offensive but, again, we can talk about this in November when the election is in full force. But this is all a distraction.”