While Trump and his allies are now relying on a robust economic recovery to boost the President’s reelection chances in November, Democrats are pounding the administration’s response to the virus as mismanaged, insufficient, and very slow to meet the threat.

Former President Barack Obama broke his silence, as a new force assisting the Democratic case against Trump after staying quiet for several months.

On a private call with his former aides, Obama described the Trump administration’s management of the crisis as “an absolute chaotic disaster.” On this 30-minute call with members of the Obama Alumni Association, Obama said the pandemic had now reinforced the need for stronger leadership in the White House.

“This election that’s coming up on each level is so important because what we’re going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party,” Obama said on the same call. “What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy has become a stronger impulse in American life.”

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in her response to these reports, said in a statement that Trump’s “coronavirus response has been unprecedented and saved American lives.”

“There has been bipartisan recognition of President Trump’s leadership, and the American people have taken notice,” said McEnany.

Biden also launched his own argument against Trump on Friday when the country posted its worst jobs report in history, with about 14.7% unemployment. Biden has increasingly attempted to tie the Trump administration’s weak and halting response to the virus to the economic downfall it has created. Biden’s combative stance comes at a time when he is fighting what he says are unfounded allegations by Tara Reade, his former Senate aide.