As often as I have warned about Trump’s authoritarian inclinations, we must also take into account that he is not very intelligent. He says whatever comes into his mind to avoid blame for anything bad to take credit for anything good. It’s instinctive.
Blatant lies by an autocrat are often loyalty tests, checking to see who nods their head with the most enthusiasm. But Trump is mostly oblivious. He is now entirely surrounded by sycophants and has Fox News to spin his lies and errors.
The Coronavirus crisis will be viewed only personally & politically by Trump and his loyalists. Power is the only mode they know, the way the Soviet structure dealt with Chernobyl. Blame others, cya, distract.
Trumpists will use the same methods with the coronavirus response that they are using with the Bidens & Ukraine. Scapegoats, worthless investigations, say the other side is politicizing a crisis, etc. And the GOP will go along. The fish rots from the head.
