On Tuesday came the final proof that Donald Trump wasn’t just malignantly incompetent, but murderous. That was when excerpts from recordings made by Bob Woodward showed that Trump understood from the beginning that COVID-19 was far more dangerous than flu, highly contagious, and likely to trigger a dangerous pandemic. It wasn’t that Trump didn’t know the truth, it was that he deliberately lied to the public—over and over. By Thursday, Trump admitted that he had lied, but said he had do so to “avoid panic” and to keep the nation calm.
If the idea of Donald Trump, the man whose daily Twitter output reads like a trailer for Armageddon meets Omen, doing anything designed to promote calm was not ridiculous enough, Trump did what he always does: Made things even worse, while simultaneously making them more ridiculous. This time, Trump did so by invoking both FDR and Winston Churchill in an effort to make his own mendacity seem more palatable.
"As Franklin Delano Roosevelt said,” said Trump, “'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' We're doing very well … When Hitler was bombing London, Churchill, a great leader, would oftentimes go to a roof in London and speak. And he always spoke with calmness. He said we have to show calmness. No, we did it the right way. We've done a job like nobody." Trump is right about one thing: He has done a job exactly as well as nobody. But of course, when it comes to both Churchill and Roosevelt, Trump is simply lying again.
This is from Churchill’s actual speech on assuming office, May 13, 1940. The first thing Churchill announced was that he was forming a unity government, including the leaders of the opposition parties.
“A War Cabinet has been formed of five Members, representing, with the Opposition Liberals, the unity of the nation. The three party Leaders have agreed to serve, either in the War Cabinet or in high executive office.“
Donald Trump formed a coronavirus task force headed by Mike Pence, HHS Secretary Alex Azar, and national security advisor Robert O’Brien. Not only were no Democratic leaders invited onto the panel, both they and the public were excluded from meetings and discussions by this task force.
Then Churchill introduces the scope of the threat ahead. He warns that the nation is on the brink of “one of the greatest battles in history,” and apologies that he has to be brief because the threat is so dire. And Churchill does mention the word calm … see if you can find it.
“I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government: ‘I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.’”
Trump: “China has been working very hard to contain the coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!” (Jan 24)
“We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.”
Trump: “You know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat—as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April.” (Feb 10)
You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.
Trump: “You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” (Feb 27)
You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
Trump: “It’s going to disappear. One day—it’s like a miracle—it will disappear. And from our shores, we—you know, it could get worse before it gets better. It could maybe go away.” (Feb 28)
I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, “come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.”
Trump: “CDC and my Administration are doing a GREAT job of handling coronavirus, including the very early closing of our borders to certain areas of the world. It was opposed by the Dems, “too soon,” but turned out to be the correct decision. but turned out to be the correct decision. No matter how well we do, however, the Democrats talking point is that we are doing badly. If the virus disappeared tomorrow, they would say we did a really poor, and even incompetent, job. Not fair, but it is what it is. So far, by the way, we have not had one death.”
Churchill launched into the conflict promising people “an ordeal of the most grievous kind” that would require “many long months of struggle and of suffering.” Trump promised that “One day—it’s like a miracle—it will disappear.” That’s not someone delivering a message to stay calm and shoulder the burdens of a “grievous ordeal.” That’s a con man trying to pull a con at the cost of lives.
It’s also worth noting that Roosevelt’s “nothing to fear” line comes as part of an inaugural address in which he was talking about the uncertainty that was preventing leaders from making reasoned decisions. And FDR had a solution to that fear in the very next sentence—being honest and open with the American people while taking bold action.
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.
And if Trump wants to crib some of Roosevelt’s address, he might think about this section.
Recognition of the falsity of material wealth as the standard of success goes hand in hand with the abandonment of the false belief that public office and high political position are to be valued only by the standards of pride of place and personal profit.