By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Former President Donald Trump echoed Ronald Reagan’s famous question at a recent campaign event, asking voters if they are better off now than four years ago – effectively prompting a comparison between the current state and Trump’s presidency during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many scholars suggest that public amnesia may have distorted people’s memories, with only 4% of voters polled stating they most remember Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Instead, responses focused on his ‘behavior’, economic policies, and stance on immigration. Experts argue that post-pandemic amnesia and a ‘misremembering’ of past events often happens after traumatic episodes. Furthermore, it’s contended that the Trump administration’s approach to the pandemic, characterized by denial, confusion, and misinformation, made it more challenging for the public to remember what happened accurately.
Read the original article here
Trump’s botched COVID response feels like a distant memory to many, and I find that both alarming and unsettling. There’s something deeply troubling about how easily we seem to forget the catastrophic failures that not only endangered public health but actively contributed to the suffering of countless individuals. Perhaps it’s a coping mechanism, a way to shield ourselves from the trauma of what we lived through, but this amnesia can have dire consequences. We must remember how Trump mishandled the pandemic, recognizing that it wasn’t merely a series of mistakes—it was a disaster fueled by indifference and misguided priorities.
Reflecting on those early months of the pandemic, I can’t shake the feeling that our very lives were turned into a political drama, with public health turned into a loyalty test. Trump’s refusal to wear a mask, for example, was more than just a personal preference; it was a poisonous signal to his followers that disregarding basic health guidelines was somehow a show of strength or allegiance. The impact of this sentiment was staggering, with many choosing to forego precautionary measures that could have saved lives. I watched friends and family fall into this trap, embracing conspiracy theories and misinformation, twisting a public health crisis into a partisan battlefield.
It’s haunting to think about the many who suffered and died unnecessarily, all because of the machinations of a president who seemed more interested in protecting his image than the health of the nation. The constant stream of misleading statements and outright falsehoods—from claiming the virus would simply “disappear” to suggesting that disinfectants could somehow serve as a cure—fueled a dangerous wave of denial and distrust in medical expertise. This wasn’t just negligence; it was a direct assault on the foundations of public health, leading to widespread misinformation that continues to affect attitudes toward vaccination and science today.
As I think back to the logistical failures, it’s hard not to feel a deep anger. The way Trump withheld critical supplies from states based on political allegiance is a betrayal of the most fundamental duty of a leader: to protect and serve the people. His administration’s refusal to accept the gravity of the situation only exacerbated the crisis. Watching the death toll rise, it became impossible to ignore that his actions—or lack thereof—directly led to an estimated 450,000 additional deaths. Each statistic represented not just a number, but a life tragically cut short; a family forever altered.
The harm extended beyond the dead. Those of us who confronted this reality firsthand—whether as healthcare professionals, family members of the sick, or simply individuals navigating the chaos—carry a heavy weight. My heart breaks for families who had to say goodbye to loved ones alone, unable to offer comfort or presence during their final moments. This experience is not just a singular story; it’s a collective trauma etched into the fabric of our society.
It’s crucial that we remember these truths as we move forward. Ignoring the past will only pave the way for similar failures in the future. If we let ourselves forget how poorly the Trump administration handled the pandemic, we run the risk of allowing that kind of leadership to arise again. The lessons learned from this crisis must serve as a blueprint for better governance, one that prioritizes science, community health, and true leadership over petty partisan politics.
The idea that anyone could suggest putting a conspiracy theorist in charge of the CDC is deeply troubling. It feels as if there’s a concerted effort to rewrite the narrative of the past, to sanitize the memory of the Trump administration’s actions, and push us back into a cycle of ignorance and neglect. We need to ensure that the scars left by COVID are not just forgotten remnants, but powerful reminders of what’s at stake when leadership fails.
The pain from those lost lives remains fresh. Families are still grieving, still dealing with the aftermath of a sociopolitical climate that neglected their health for the sake of image and control. The echoes of those times remind us that we must do better, hold ourselves accountable, and demand that our leaders do the same. Collective memory is vital, and it is up to us to keep it alive. We cannot allow the lessons of this tragedy to be erased; the memory of this crisis should fuel our determination to advocate for responsible and empathetic leadership in the future.