Kudlow: China 'must be held accountable' for effects of coronavirus pandemic in US

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Kudlow: World economy has been hit hard by coronavirus

White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow weighs in on drop in oil prices, COVID-19 relief bill.

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White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow told "Bill Hemmer Reports" Tuesday that the Chinese government "must be held accountable" for the medical and economic damage coronavirus has wrought upon the U.S.

"There is no question of the origin of this virus was in China," said Kudlow before calling the situation "extremely troublesome."

"This will be investigated over a period of time, and we will see how it turns out," he added. "We still have a trade deal with China, but they will be held accountable."

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Kudlow said that the federal government's goal is to get through the flattening of the infection curve and get the American economy working again.

"Right now, we are still amidst a very bad economic contraction, it's not of our own making, not business, nonworkers, it's not our policies, it's all because of the virus," he said.

Kudlow also laid out the details of a $484 billion coronavirus aid bill, known as "Phase 3.5." which was approved by the Senate via voice vote a little more than an hour after he spoke.

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"$320 billion for the payroll protection program. $60 billion for disaster relief, that's a special SBA [Small Business Association] disaster relief, $75 billion for hospitals and $25 billion for testing," he said. "I might not have it all, Bill, but I think that pretty much covers it, it comes to about $480 billion."