'We have made great progress': Melania Trump praises Donald Trump's handling of COVID-19

Melania Trump on Saturday praised her husband's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, speaking at a "Make America Great Again" rally in Wisconsin in support of President Donald Trump's bid for re-election.

The first lady, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month, started off her remarks by acknowledging the disease is "not a partisan issue" and criticized those who say they wouldn't trust a vaccine approved under Trump's administration.

"This administration has worked tirelessly to support families and people struggling financially during this pandemic while Democrats in Congress refuse to sign another stimulus package," Melania Trump said to a crowd of about 250 in West Bend, north of Milwaukee. "Such selfish, politically corrupt decisions are what separate the swamp politicians from President Trump and his administration."

She contrasted former Vice President Joe Biden's comments that this will be a "dark winter" with her husband's continued push forward, saying Biden wants the U.S. to operate out of fear. She also accused the media, Democrats and Biden of attacking the president and his administration.

"We have made great progress in our fight against COVID-19," the first lady said. "I watched Donald continue to work hard to keep people informed and calm, to protect our economy and make hard and unpopular decisions to do all he could to keep us all safe."

Melania Trump pointed to the COVID-19 safety protocols in place now across the country that have allowed businesses and restaurants to operate and children to go back to school.

"This President is focused on not just destroying the virus, but creating ways for people to safely start gathering with friends again," she said. "This is about mental health as much as it is about the physical well-being of people."

Three days before the election, the Biden team is campaigning too. He plans to hold campaign events in Detroit and Flint, Michigan, with former President Barack Obama.

"President Obama and I left President Trump a playbook on how to deal with pandemics," Biden tweeted Saturday. "He flat-out ignored it. And we're suffering every day because of it."

The first lady is expected to make a second appearance at another Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania today at 5 p.m. EDT.

On Thursday, Melania Trump joined her husband on the campaign trail, and she defended him as a proponent of equality in a campaign video on Twitter for a conservative LGBTQ group.

Contributing: Maria Puente

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Melania Trump on COVID: 'Great progress,' she says at election rally