This post will be updated.
President Trump gambled very early and often on the idea that the coronavirus outbreak wouldn’t turn out to be nearly as severe as some health officials warned it could get.
The thrust of Trump’s statements about the virus has been almost relentlessly optimistic, which is a marked contrast to those of some health officials who prefer that people be overly prepared rather than underestimate the threat. He has also regularly promoted the idea that the virus could suddenly disappear.
