Trump said of virus, 'I wanted to always play it down'

A new book by journalist Bob Woodward says US President Donald Trump seemed to understand the severity of the pandemic, even as he was downplaying the COVID-19 threat to Americans.

Trump had insisted earlier this year that the virus was no worse than the seasonal flu and that the U-S government had it totally under control.

But Woodward says in a February phone call with Trump, the president stressed the deadly nature of the novel coronavirus.

Trump is also quoted as saying, ``It's also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.''

Trump told Woodward on March 19 that he deliberately minimized the danger, saying: ``I wanted to always play it down.''

Excerpts from the book were reported Wednesday by The Washington Post and CNN.