A letter to President Trump

When one bends the truth, fabricates lies, and draw an image of oneself far removed from reality it is going to have consequences on the people around you and yourself. Insofar as the disconnect from reality concerns one's own persona it can be laughable and in the end people will not just not take your word seriously. However, when you are the President of the United States, the laughable becomes lamentable, the spin of reality becomes a unique window into the mind of the most powerful leader on the planet. Add to this the worst pandemic in recent times, a pandemic which has claimed over 80,000 US lives, and the worse is still to come, then the leadership expected from the White House has to be top drawer.

One watched in horror how a press conference where a reporter posed a serious question on the pandemic resulted in a Trumpian tantrum resulting in a walk out by President Trump is just symptomatic of the problems that face the American people. A leader caught up in the web spun by his own ego that the gravity of 1.4 million people, of today, infected by the virus and more people having died than in the Vietnam war, suggested a total failure of leadership.

Mr Trump started his COVID 19 position from denial; it was something that was never going to hit the United States, and even if a few cases came over he was sure he had the defenses in place. The nonchalant leadership went so far as to continue to hold political rallies in February and even March when cases in the US were beginning to crop up in isolated pockets. Then Trump took on the role of some scientist who had just stepped out of a research lab  offering different medications as possible remedies to the virus. At one stage going so far as to, seriously, suggest if detergent was to be drunk would it not kill the virus. Not much later he claimed it was a light hearted comment, forgetting the suggestion itself was caught on camera and there was nothing light hearted in the way 'Professor' Trump had proffered his advice.

On a more macro level the sense of looking out for ALL of the United States is totally absent with Mr Trump. It would seem either his agenda is not flexible to consider a bi-partisan enough or he simply does not have the DNA to be statesmanlike. We have an unhinged President who would rather pick a fight with a news reporter than pick a fight with the COVID 19 pandemic. Claiming that 'who knows one day this virus will just go away' is hopeless fantasy and hardly the sort of tincture that can ease the pain of 83,000 people dead. As estimates stand the most conservative model suggests that by August of this year the number of dead would nearly double the current level.

Soon after election Mr Trump was flouting the fact that he had executive powers! Why have these powers only be invoked on immigration, why doesn't Mr Trump invoke executive powers nationwide and bring about proper lock down measures to combat a virus that is tearing America at the seams. Why does he not reveal a cogent national plan and then use his powers to have every state follow it? At one point he even praised the people opposing a lockdown with protests saying they were very fine people. Mr President this virus does not ask you if you are fine person or not, this virus does not ask you if you are Republican or Democrat, and it certainly does not ask you if you are American or not, Christian, Jew or Muslim. Its indiscriminate in its selection, brutal in its spread and uncompromising in the fight it will give a patient, who if he or she can manage the many moments of gasping for air, may survive, otherwise will add to the long and growing list of the nameless dead.

Mr President please stop lying, stop blaming others, take a page from the book of other leaders who have stepped up and seem to be turning back the tide on this pandemic. You cannot simply be the best leader by only claiming it. You have to walk the miles, and these are going to be hard miles. No one is asking you to admit the failures of your leadership, that would be asking too much, one can only ask and pray that you will change; and change with the rising of the sun.

The human, economic, social and psychological impact of this pandemic is global and on a scale that we cannot really fathom just yet. Human perception of what will be normal in a post COVID 19 world is still in its formative phases, but one thing is sure that it will be a world full of fear. This is not the time to posture and pretend, its not the time to harangue on others, its not the time to make claims that even you do not understand. Its a time to become a leader, a time to emulate from the examples of Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, and many more. Look at the leadership shown in New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, China (yes even China) and the UAE. These are leaders who did what is right, and with decisive and quick action and listened to the scientists and took on the pain of a complete lockdown knowing its immediate economic impact would be devastating, but knew not doing anything would be catastrophic.


In conclusion this is not about you, or your re-election bid, or the 'fake news' its about saving lives and for once putting the people you claim to lead before your own ego. There is still time to arrest the deluge of this pandemic. To do this doing what is right no matter what the cost of this to save lives must be done. The lockdowns and testing and isolation has worked in other countries and each day its delayed has a exponential effect, this leaves no room to procrastinate and try and spin the decision to a personal point of view. This is the moment which will define your leadership, and perhaps even forgive you for the egotistical few years we have had to endure you. Step forward now Mr Trump.