'Kung flu': Young Trump supporters roar approval as president uses racist phrase

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Donald Trump said it again, using a derogatory phrase for the coronavirus that some call offensive to Asian people – and an audience of young supporters roared with laughter.

The president was addressing young Republicans in Phoenix on Tuesday when he pivoted from talking about his southern border barrier and California's Democratic leaders to slamming Tijuana, Mexico for its coronavirus infection rate. Then he started riffing about the disease's name – rather, its names.

And the youngsters loved it.

"I said the other night, there's never been anything where they have so many names. I could give you 19 or 20 names for that, right? It's got all different names. Wuhan," he said, referring to the province in China where the virus is believed to have gone public.

"Wuhan was catching on. Coronavirus, right?

A transcript of the event indicates an unknown speaker yelled out, "Kung Flu."

That's all Mr Trump needed.

"Kung flu," he said.

The crowd erupted with approval.

"Kung flu, yes," he said.

More laughter.

"Covid. Covid-19. Covid. I say what's the 19? COVID-19," the president continued. "COVID-19. I said that's an odd name. I could give you many, many names. Some people call it the Chinese flu, the China flu, right?"

The president's use of the phrase has exposed a rare disagreement between himself and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway. In March, she told reporters it is "wrong" to say "kung flu" because it is "highly offensive."

But on Wednesday, she defended her boss.

"My reaction is that the president has made very clear he wants everybody to understand, and I think many Americans do understand, that the virus originated in China," Ms Conway said. "And had China been more transparent and honest with the United States and the world, we wouldn't have all the death and destruction that unfortunately we've suffered."

Asked about the differing opinion with Mr Trump, she said they meet frequently but do not always agree on every issue.