If a Nation State that was a foe of the United States, had the know how and a lab where they could create a disease that was highly transmittable, required swift action to contain, but appeared, on the surface at least, like an everyday cold or flu, now, right now would be the time to deliver it.
Before I go further, let me state clearly, I am not in any way insinuating that this is the case and firmly don't believe it is. I am saying, if this were planned, there could be no better time and no better President to implement it against. The fact that our nations guards were down as our defenses were intentionally paralyzed, should petrify us all.
Why? Well, Trump is why. Going back to birtherism in 2011, to Mueller, Ukraine, his false or misleading statements (approaching 17,000 according to the Washington Post), lack of belief in science or scientific fact, among many other demonic moves, such as his banning of Muslims, Nigerians (the most educated group of all U.S. immigrants), Hispanics, etc., nothing has seemed capable of stopping Trump from pushing forward with an agenda not seen in this Nations history through an effort of lies and vitriol. Nothing, until maybe now.
Even now, however, with a pandemic ravaging the nations populace, economy and way of life, the Trump tactic of lies, deflection and blame has not abated. If anything, it's worsened. The difference here is that the virus has it's own motives and doesn't care how much he lies, deflects and reassures. The virus will tell the truth, everyday, every hour, every minute. At the end of the day and many days in-between, the virus will bring the charlatans and frauds to heel. The effects of this have already begun.
In 2018, after Trump fired the team responsible for responding to Pandemics. Yamiche Alcindor of PBS Newshour asked Trump this very question, to which he was classic Trump. Lie, deflect, blame...
Trump was briefed, according to the intelligence reports described by the Washington Post, in January and again in February and was issued "ominous, classified warnings" about the effects of the COVID-19, to which he summarily ignored, based on his public responses and actions.
According to news outlets, such as the reporting done by CNN, the Trump administration, via the State Department, has sent 17+ tons of PPE to China in February, even after the first cases had arrived to the United States. Time and time again, Trump has made the wrong decision. The cost? American lives and American capital! It has been widely reported that our Doctors and Nurses are reusing masks and gowns and in many cases, making their own, at great risk of contracting and spreading the disease themselves, all while the President says, we have ample supply. The truth is in the film, the video, in the Emergency rooms across the nation, and the President's untruths, lying through this, simply doesn't work. Just google... "hospitals out of medical supplies near me"
The Illinois Hospital Association sent this Tweet on March 19th.
These lies from the Administration and Trump himself will one day serve to be his undoing. Even as he can't deny the coming facts, truth is not his cohort. As the President said at his last news conference in March 2020, we can expect anywhere between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths due to the virus. So he is beginning to be truthful, but continues to say the test from WHO was only 50% accurate and is why he chose not to use it among countless other untruths. The virus will bring the liars to heel. The process of facing hard truths has begun. Let's hope it's not too late.
We're in for a tough ride. Stay safe and stay vigilant.