Day 1,261: COVID-19 solutions and spin have failed, so Trump plays golf while White House readies to wave white flag

As the U.S. approaches 130,000 deaths from COVID-19 — with tens of thousands more not only likely but expected — the White House’s new policy is to shrug their shoulders and tell Americans to accept the reality of the situation.

Donald Trump is afraid to talk about it and his massive leadership failings that have led to the pandemic raging in the U.S. for months longer than any other developed nation.

The White House has struggled to find a cohesive message. Part of that is from Trump going from calling the virus a hoax to floating yet-to-be developed vaccines as just around the corner to suggesting dangerous treatments such as unproven drugs and household cleaners.

They’ve tried to peddle false hope and they’ve tried to spin the direness into resiliency. Now they’re just admitting that there’s no solution and that mass illness and death is something people are just going to have to accept.

Administration officials are planning to intensify what they hope is a sharper, and less conflicting, message of the pandemic next week, according to senior administration officials, after struggling to offer clear directives amid a crippling surge in cases across the country. On Thursday, the United States reported more than 55,000 new cases of coronavirus and infection rates were hitting new records in multiple states.

At the crux of the message, officials said, is a recognition by the White House that the virus is not going away any time soon — and will be around through the November election.

As a result, President Donald Trump’s top advisers plan to argue, the country must figure out how to press forward despite it. Therapeutic drugs will be showcased as a key component for doing that and the White House will increasingly emphasize the relatively low risk most Americans have of dying from the virus, officials said.

Trump, meanwhile, seems keen on leading from the rear now that millions of Americans have been infected. He is apparently totally relaxed during the numerous crises, including COVID-19, enveloping the nation. After a laughably empty calendar during the week, he spent a good chunk of Friday at his private golf course in Virginia, adding another tally to his hundreds of previous visits.

1,261 days in, 201 to go

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