Trump says he expects virus to 'go away' in April as 'heat comes in'

[RockRaven]

14. If this virus becomes established as globally endemic a la several other coronaviruses and

influenza viruses the difference in cause of mortality for Americans for this particular coronavirus vs some other later cause will be measured in the millions within the lifetime of any non-elderly person reading this. This virus, like most emergent viruses, is either going to get squashed until the rate of new cases becomes zero or it will become endemic world-wide. The middle ground scenario where the virus is persistently active yet contained to one country or global region for years upon years is unlikely based on historical example.

Is that all in Trump's hands? No, of course not. But as POTUS and given the broad and varied swath of powers available to the office, he has it in his power to sabotage efforts to prevent the virus from becoming endemic in the US. All of the efforts the federal government has undertaken to date to prevent the spread of this virus to the US are things which Trump would conceivably attempt to undermine or reverse if challenged on his idiotic statement -- just to gratify his ego and assert his will.

Trump's language on this issue to date, and past behavior regarding directing federal agencies to act in support of his delusions and ego-driven whims, does not put it out of the realm of possibility that he would direct federal agencies to enact specific procedures which result in failure to contain this virus from becoming endemic in the US.

That's not click-bait. That's a cynical but sober assessment based on everything Trump has done this past 3 years and how other government entities have reacted, or not reacted, to his totally out-of-bounds actions.