Donald Trump has claimed his comments about injecting bleach were "sarcasm" during a fiery clash with Joe Biden at the first 2020 presidential election debate.
The event, held in Cleveland, Ohio, saw the rival candidates attack and interrupt each other as they discussed the coronavirus pandemic, job losses and the Supreme Court.
The president was discussing plans for the military to deliver the vaccine when Mr Biden attacked his trustworthiness, bringing up the disinfectant comment.
In April, Mr Trump sparked worldwide condemnation when he said injecting disinfectant could help treat the virus in what appeared to be an earnest suggestion at a Covid-19 press briefing.
Medics and manufacturers rushed to warn people that they should not follow his potentially-fatal advice.
During the debate, Mr Biden said: "This is the same man who told you by Easter this would be gone away. By the warm weather it would be gone - miraculous, like a miracle.
"By the way, maybe you can inject some bleach in your arm and that would take care of it. This is the same man."
Mr Trump interjected to say: "That was said sarcastically and you know that. That was said sarcastically."
Mr Biden carried on to say that the president needed to get "a lot smarter, a lot quicker" to stop more people dying.
The president went on to attack the Democrat over his academic record. He also talked over his opponent, prompting Mr Biden simply to say “Will you shut up, man?”
Mr Biden then called his opponent “the worst president America has ever had”, while Mr Trump threw back allegations about Hunter Biden’s international business practices.
The Democrat called the claims against his son “discredited” and fired back: “I mean, his family we can talk about all night.”
Meanwhile, the president danced around a question from debate moderator Chris Wallace about whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and military groups.
He said: “Proud Boys — Stand back, stand by, but I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not right-wing problem… This is a left-wing problem.”
The debate ended with a question from the moderator, who asked both candidates if they would “urge your supporters to stay calm during this period, not to engage in civil unrest and will you not declare victory until the election has been independently verified?”
Mr Trump said he will tell his supporters “to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that’s what has to happen. I’m urging them to do it”.
Mr Biden replied: “Once the ballots are all counted, that’ll be the end of it. If it’s me, that’s fine. If it’s not me, I’ll support it.”
