The speech, running during commercial airtime about 8:30 Eastern on CBS and NBC, is a remarkable step for a presidential candidate not currently serving in public office, and is likely to cost Bloomberg in the millions to run. It comes three days before his presidential primary debut on Super Tuesday, and seeks to draw a direct comparison between the steady hand his campaign says be offers and the rashness of Trump.

Bloomberg has accused the president of putting the lives of Americans at risk by ignoring science and dismissing the spread of the virus as a “hoax” — actions Bloomberg deemed dangerous and remarks he cast as dishonest. Officials said a man in his 50s died of coronavirus, and on Saturday, the Trump administration announced more travel restrictions.

“At times like this, it is the job of the president to reassure the public that he or she is taking all the steps necessary to protect the health and well-being of every citizen,” Bloomberg will say in the speech, which frames him in front of flags to take on the visuals of a sitting official. “The public wants to know their leader is trained, informed and respected. When a problem arises, they want someone in charge who can marshal facts and expertise to confront the problem.”

Bloomberg’s decision to air the ad is consistent with his broader campaign strategy of looking past his Democratic opponents and casting the race as a competition between him and Trump. In more than a half-billion dollars in TV and digital spots, he paints Trump as a danger to the country on health care, climate change and international relations.

Bloomberg also recently released a TV ad that acknowledges his lackluster debate performances in Las Vegas and Charleston, S.C., but argues that the country is starved for a doer, not a champion debater.

A Bloomberg aide said he was compelled to seek out a high-profile venue for the address given the grave threat of the outbreak and the president’s uneven response. “It’s a serious time right now and people need to see what a real leader looks like and someone that has dealt with a crisis before—and that’s Mike,” the aide told POLITICO.

But in deciding to air the spot, he also risks backlash over his own crisis management record as mayor, decisions that have largely stayed below the radar during his three months as a candidate. Bloomberg touted his management acumen as mayor, but also had some notable failures on that front, including a huge increase in homelessness during his tenure and deteriorating conditions in public housing, where managers were caught lying about apartment repairs and lead inspections.

His programs to rebuild the city after Hurricane Sandy stumbled, including an effort to rebuild damaged homes that did not start construction on a single home by the time he left office. His tenure also saw a scandal over fraud in a new payroll system, and struggles to upgrade the 911 system, which ended up far behind schedule and over budget.