What were the Consequences of Former US President Donald Trump Sugarcoating the Impacts of COVID-19?

In the first half of 2020, SARS‐CoV‐2 - the new type of coronavirus - infected 10 million people globally and killed about half a million. Despite the shocking warnings, the U.S. has wasted every possible opportunity that came its way to control the spread of this epidemic.

Even though the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was detected in the U.S. during mid-January, genetic pieces of evidence show that the specific strains which triggered the first big outbreaks, primarily in Washington State, didn’t land in the US until mid-February. The country could have potentially used that time after the detection of the first case to plan and prepare for the worst rather than be dismissive about its potential impact. Donald Trump, who had spent most of his presidency saying things the way he wanted without any consequences, affirmed to Americans that “the coronavirus is very much under control” and “like a miracle, it will disappear”. With privilege, Trump lied. With impunity, the virus spread.

On the 26th of February, Trump stated that cases were “going to be down to close to zero”. However, within the next two months, at least 1 million Americans were infected, and tens of thousands died. And yet, the former President only sat back, and wrote: “The coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. The Stock Market is starting to look very good to me!”

It is easy to reject the communication strategy of Trump’s administration as oppressive. Nevertheless, it also indicates a century-old American belief that it is reasonable to prevent mass panic by controlling information during a rapidly emerging public health crisis.

“So, the fact is, I’m a cheerleader for this country. I love my country. And I don’t want people to be frightened,” Trump told reporters at the White House after announcing his potential Supreme Court nominees if he wins re-election. “I don’t want to create panic, as you say. And certainly, I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence. We want to show strength. We have to have leadership. We have to show leadership. The last thing you want to do is create panic in a country,” he said.

COVID‐19 is an attack on America’s ideologies, and a vote on the ideas that stimulate its culture. Recovery is possible, but it requires radical self-examination. America should strive to prevent sickness instead of profiting from it. It should create a healthcare system that prizes resilience over fragile efficiency and lastly, an information system that supports light overheat. It should reconstruct its international alliances, its social safety net, and its trust in empiricism. It should address the health inequities that flow from its history. Last but not least, it should elect leaders with sound judgment, strong character, and respect for science, logic, and reason.

Bibliography:

• https://www.npr.org/2020/09/12/912081447/trump-says-he-prevented-panic-on-pandemic-thats-not-his-usual-approach

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/09/10/trump-claims-he-downplayed-coronavirus-to-keep-americans-calm-here-are-the-many-times-hes-tried-to-incite-panic/?sh=292ed427f187

• https://www.ft.com/content/b5da51d1-42f6-4c6f-ae06-1e1ec903b547

Written By: Anna Nithin Samuel, Nakul Chavda

Edited By: Mansi Shakalya, Yashas Ramakrishnan