The president of the White House Correspondents� Association on Monday called on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to apologize for a tweet saying some media members �can�t contain their delight� at reports of Americans getting the coronavirus.

Jonathan Karl, who is ABC News� White House correspondent, said Rubio�s tweet was outrageous, wrong and hurtful.

There was no immediate response by the Florida Republican by social media or through a query to his Senate staff.

On Sunday, Rubio tweeted that �some in our media can�t contain their glee and delight in reporting the the U.S. has more coronavirus cases� than China.

Beyond being grotesque, he suggested it was bad journalism because he believes the Chinese aren�t telling the truth about how many of their citizens have contracted the virus.

�Who are you talking about, senator?� Karl asked during an appearance on ABC�s �The View.� Rubio has not clarified which media members he believes were gleeful about the number of U.S. cases.

Karl said journalists at CBS and NBC News had died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and two members of the White House press corps are suspected of having contracted the virus.

�Who does Marco Rubio think is taking joy and glee at more people being sick?� Karl said.

(AP)