Joe Biden calls Donald Trump the country's 'first' racist president

Trump responded to a question about Biden's comments by pointing to his administration's efforts passing criminal justice reform legislation and expanding opportunity zones

Joe Biden said Wednesday that President Donald Trump was the country's first racist president.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's comments came during a virtual town hall organised by the Service Employees International Union.

When a questioner complained of racism surrounding the coronavirus outbreak and mentioned the president referring to it as the China virus, Biden responded by blasting Trump and his spread of racism.

"The way he deals with people based on the colour of their skin, their national origin, where they're from, is absolutely sickening, the former vice president said.

"No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never,