It seems that President Donald Trump’s claims that Democrats are “politicizing” the deadly coronavirus spreading around the world and that criticism of his administration “is their new hoax” are resonating with many of his supporters.

A handful of attendees at Trump’s campaign rally on Monday night in North Carolina told NBC News reporter Monica Alba they weren’t worried about the illness that has sickened at least 80,000 worldwide and killed about 3,000. Others said they doubted the novel coronavirus even exists.

A person who was “very pleased” with Trump’s handling of the outbreak echoed the president’s claim that the media is inciting “fear and panic.” Another said she doesn’t “trust anything the Democrats do or say,” another of Trump’s contentions about the virus.

Trump and his White House have repeatedly downplayed the threat of the illness, called COVID-19. But the president himself has gone even further, suggesting it shouldn’t be taken seriously.

During a South Carolina rally over the weekend, Trump told the crowd: “Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. They have no clue, they can’t even count their votes in Iowa.” He likened Democrats’ criticism to his impeachment, saying “this is their new hoax.”