Any moment now, the official total of American deaths from COVID-19 will cross 100,000. Truthfully, this event has already happened, but weekends—especially holiday weekends—have seen delays in reporting cases and deaths. Less than a month ago, Trump was bragging that the total number of deaths was “going toward 50 or 60,000 people.” A week later, when 50,000 was already approaching, Trump said that we were “probably heading to 60,000, 70,000.” Less than a week after that, 60,000 was crossed.
What did Trump do when the nation crossed that 60,000 number? He bragged about it again. “What we did is a great tribute to this country,” said Trump. “But if we lost … so if we lose 65,000 people … it’s so crazy to say it … It’s just so horrible, but if we lose 65,000 people, and instead of that going the other route, we would have lost a million or a million and a half or two million. It’s possible. It’s possible that you lost more. But could you imagine?” More such eloquence is likely today as the nation aches, sobs, and mourns its way into six digits of death. But in preparation for this moment, Trump did what he did in preparation for the whole pandemic … he went golfing.