Biden says he and Trump 'shouldn't have a debate' if president still has COVID-19

TOPSHOT - Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden participates in an NBC Town Hall event at the Perez Art Museum, with the MacArthur Causeway in the background, in Miami, Florida on October 5, 2020. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMI …

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden says he and President Donald Trump “shouldn’t have a debate” as long as the president remains positive for the coronavirus.

Biden said Tuesday that he’s “looking forward to being able to debate him” but said “we’re going to have to follow very strict guidelines.” He says he doesn’t know Trump’s status since the president returned to the White House after being hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for three days after a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Biden told reporters while boarding his plane back to Delaware in Hagerstown, Maryland: "I think if he still has COVID, then we shouldn’t have a debate.”

The next debate is scheduled for Oct. 15, with a third debate slated for Oct. 22.

Biden's campaign says he tested negative for COVID-19 earlier Tuesday.