Jeb Bush slams Trump's handling of coronavirus pandemic: 'A leader needs to be transparent!'

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush often served as President Donald Trump's favorite punching bag in the early days of the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

However, the former Florida governor suggested this week that the president could use some lessons in leadership as he struggles to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview with the New York Times, Bush listed off qualities any leader should have during a time of crisis, while suggesting that those are the very qualities that Trump lacks.

"A leader needs to be transparent, clear, empathetic, serious, and all-in," he said. "A leader needs to communicate consistently and regularly. A leader needs to show his or her heart, which has to be done outside the governor’s mansion or the White House."

Bush also added that leaders should know when to "shut down partisan politics" and "to trust the experts and allow the strategy to be developed with them."

Trump so far has continued attacking his Democratic opponents in the midst of the crisis and has also regularly ignored expert advice by downplaying the dangers of the virus by comparing it to the seasonal flu. Just earlier this week, Trump suggested that the virus was not that big of a deal and said that life would "go on."