President Donald Trump, who is being treated for COVID -19, has said he would not participate in a virtual debate with his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, slated for October 15.

The Republican President alleged that the virtual mode will make it easy for the moderator to cut him off.

Trump's reaction is coming after the Commission on Presidential Debates said the event would be conducted virtually as a result of the president’s COVID-19 status.

The commission said it was making the change to a virtual format so as to “protect the health and safety of all involved.”

It explained that the debate would remain a town hall-style conversation and that voters and the moderator will ask the candidates questions from the debate site in Miami.

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Trump, while speaking with Fox Business via a phone call, on Thursday, October 8, disregarded the development, saying: “that is not acceptable by us.”

“I’m not going to waste my time on a personal debate. Sit behind a computer, ridiculous. They cut you off... I’m not doing a virtual debate.”

He also described the moderator of the Miami debate, Steve Scully, as a “never Trumper.”

In a statement by Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stephen, who had also previously tested positive for coronavirus, the decision of the commission is to “rush to Joe Biden’s defence”, adding that “it was pathetic and Trump would have posted multiple negative tests” before the debate.

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Stephen said Trump would not attend the debate if he was contagious, however, said he is now well enough to continue campaign rallies.

Recall that the first US presidential debate held on September 29 degenerated into an ugly event as Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden, and the Democratic rival responded by calling the president a racist and telling him to “shut up”. 

Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign team welcomed the decision, saying that it is ready to address Americans.

"Vice President Biden looks forward to speaking directly to the American people and comparing his plan for bringing the country together and building back better with Donald Trump's failed leadership on the coronavirus that has thrown the strong economy he inherited into the worst downturn since the Great Depression," said deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield.

Trump, on October 2, announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and spent three days in the Walter Reed Medical Centre before returning to the White House on the evening of Monday, October 5.

Upon arrival to the White House, Trump, who was still contagious, removed his face mask and posted a video, said his administration had developed some drugs to combat the infection.

On Wednesday, October 7, the vice presidential debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, was held.

The rivals also clashed repeatedly when Biden’s running mate accused the Trump’s administration of faulty response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 200, 000 Americans.

Pence, in his debate on Wednesday, defended Trump's record on the pandemic and other issues under sharp attack by Harris, who said Trump's failures had cost American lives. 

The presidential election is scheduled for November 3.