Kamala Harris used her first appearance as Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick to attack Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, foreshadowing how the former prosecutor plans to take on the president ahead of November’s election.

Ms Harris compared America's new lockdowns to the experiences of other industrialised countries, which have largely controlled their outbreaks over the summer. She said Mr Trump’s mismanagement of the pandemic was to blame.

“There is a reason it has hit America worse than any other advanced nation,” said Ms Harris, appearing on stage with Mr Biden in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. “It is because of Trump’s failure to take it seriously from the start. His refusal to get testing up and running, his flip flopping on social distancing and wearing masks. His delusional belief that he knows better than the experts.”