God willing, President Trump’s coronavirus infection (assuming the test wasn’t a false positive) will prove mild. Friends of mine with moderate cases, not bad enough for hospitalization, but bad enough to make their lives miserable for a few days, said they would not wish it on their worst enemies.
Some people (including those who consider Trump their worst enemy) are hoping his infection will cause him to take the virus more seriously, and also take masking and distancing more seriously. Trump has, on occasion, declared how dangerous and contagious the virus is, and that everyone should wear masks and distance. But generally, he has downplayed the virus and disdained masks.
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Will his stance towards the virus change now that he’s caught it?
That’s not at all guaranteed. Some of the folks I know who are most opposed to masking, lockdowns, and forced distancing are people who either got COVID early on, or had an immediate family member get it. Their experience was typical — mild to no symptoms. If that is your experience with the coronavirus, then you might view the devastating lockdowns and requirements for masks and distancing as a huge overreaction.
There’s a very high chance that Trump has this sort of typical experience, because most people do. Trump is in his 70s and weighs a little more than is ideal, but otherwise he seems to be in fine health.
If Trump’s case is serious, it will be bad for the country. His ability to serve will be legitimately called into question, which is never good. If he is hospitalized, that could provoke foreign bad actors to take advantage.
So hopefully Trump’s case is mild. But what happens to coronavirus politics then? That might confirm for Trump and for millions of his supporters that this virus is nothing to worry about. A bunch of people hung out in close contact, without masks, and they got a cold? And we’re shutting down the economy over this?!
If that’s the course of events, expect the discussion of this virus and the efforts to fight it to become more politicized and more contentious.
