Thread by @saletan

This WP investigation, based on inside reporting, finds that Trump and like-minded advisers — in particular, Scott Atlas — have abandoned the war on the virus. They've decided to accept mass infection, and they've undercut measures to stop the spread. /1 wapo.st/3dMuQb2

Atlas is undermining preventive measures. He dismisses masks and social distancing as meaningless. Two days ago, he publicly rejected the idea that "masks work." He says all restrictions on activity should be lifted except for the highest-risk groups. /2 wapo.st/3dMuQb2

Atlas has blocked efforts to test the general population. As a result, money allocated by Congress for testing is going unspent. That's one reason why people can't get fast test results. It also impedes the government's ability to monitor the spread. /3 wapo.st/3dMuQb2

Only about 10% of Americans have been infected. To attain herd immunity, we would need to reach 60% or 70% infection. That means the strategy being promoted by Atlas, and increasingly adopted by Trump, entails "hundreds of thousands of excess deaths." /4 wapo.st/3dMuQb2

Trump is pushing for a vaccine, and he promotes therapeutics (or, as he calls them, "cures"). But short of that, the administration is abandoning basic steps to mitigate the spread of the virus. “They’ve given up on everything else,” says an official. /5 wapo.st/3dMuQb2

Atlas has gained control of virus policy thanks to Kushner's support and Pence's acquiescence, and despite warnings from Birx that he's untrustworthy. He tells Trump what Trump wants to hear. “Everybody looks for what Atlas is giving,” says an official. /6 wapo.st/3dMuQb2

Having given up on prevention, Trump is lying about how soon a vaccine will be ready. He wants an announcement before the election.

Thanks to @yabutaleb7 @PhilipRucker @jdawsey1 and @costareports for this excellent report. Read the whole thing here: wapo.st/3dMuQb2 /end