NIGHTMARE SCENARIO

Another look at the chaos of the Trump administration and its disastrous handling of the pandemic.

Washington Post health policy reporter Abutaleb and the Post’s economics editor Paletta interviewed more than 180 people, including government officials, health experts, and advisers; reviewed text messages and internal documents; and read thousands of pages of emails to offer a thoroughly damning picture of America’s response to the pandemic. Their portrayal of a dysfunctional White House is likely to come as no surprise to readers who have followed mainstream news: “Much has been written about Trump’s temperament, paranoia, nonexistent attention span, disaffection, susceptibility to conspiracy theories, and disregard for facts,” the authors write. “It was all true.” He fostered a “strident, combative atmosphere,” pitting aides against one another “like roosters at a cockfight, gladiator matches for his amusement,” and he became incensed when anyone garnered more press attention than he did. Focused on reelection, he saw the virus as an annoying distraction and an increasing case count as a personal affront. He was abetted by staff who shared his disparagement of scientific and medical advice, feared for their jobs, or were “fluent in the kind of sycophancy Trump required”—or all of the above. From the first, the response was fraught with hostility, tension, and the turmoil that occurs when no one is in charge: not Health and Human Services director Alex Azar, an arrogant micromanager; not CDC director Robert Redfield, too unassertive to take on the president; not physicians Deborah Birx or Anthony Fauci, who incited such hatred that they were inundated with death threats. “The whole pandemic response,” the authors reveal, “was managed through power, intimidation, and bullying,” and “deep polarization” in government led to “even deeper political divisions across the country.” The authors intend their report as a warning for the future: “A dearth of public health and biodefense expertise in the government, especially in the White House,” invites peril.

A well-informed accounting of the nation under siege.