It’s not the first time Trump has demonstrated a wholly inappropriate reaction to a national crisis, as Harris pointed out. Last year, when the Category 5 Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico and nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, the US administration’s response was widely criticised as slow and inadequate, while one unforgettable image from aftermath of the disaster showed Trump carelessly tossing paper towels into a crowd.

“Recall that when he went to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, he threw paper towels at people. And now he’s talking about - to deal with a hurricane, just nuke it. What is wrong with this person? The President of the United States should be in the position of saying ‘I will always work in the best interest of the people and their well-being and their safety,’ not ridiculing and throwing things at people and picking petty fights.”

“This is a moment, especially in a moment of crisis, for leadership,” she continued. “And this President is lacking in the ability to lead.”

US election 2020: Kamala Harris just slammed Donald Trump for his lack of basic empathy