Instead of informing the public about the spread and danger of the coronavirus, Trump spent months downplaying its significance, spread, and severity. That matters. The executive branch takes cues from what he says and tweets, to try to implement his vision, especially given how often he publicly belittle and fires people who disagree with him. It’s no surprise that there were serious delays in responding to this crisis. This video of Trump waving off concern, time after time, is damning: