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Trump got Trumped: Covid-19 pandemic effect

When Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates warned about future pandemics in a 2015 TED talk, many Americans believed that it was a normal warning from the billionaire philanthropist.

Published

5 years ago

September 26, 2020

By Mantosh Sharma

When Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates warned about future pandemics in a 2015 TED talk, many Americans believed that it was a normal warning from the billionaire philanthropist. Gates said, “If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war.” He continued, “We’ve actually invested very little in a system to stop an epidemic, we’re not ready for the next epidemic.”

The US government had received a formal notification about the outbreak of Covid-19 in China on January 3.

The government did not take the threat seriously. It delayed a response and showed no acknowledgement of the threat. It took six whole weeks for a proper response from the government. On January 31, the US banned foreigners who recently visited China. On February 29, travel restrictions expanded to Iran and an advisory for South Korea and Italy. By March 11, the US actually suspended most travel from Europe. During this time, the virus was infecting the USA, and by March 16, 2020, the United States of America had the most infections in the world.

Professor Ooi Eng Eong, the Deputy Director of the Emerging infectious Diseases Program Duke-NUS Medical School, said, “To put it bluntly, the US was unprepared for it. They held on to a very optimistic view. That this was an Asian problem that wouldn’t reach them.”

Had the tests occurred in January, with effective communication for everyone, as it was a shared risk, the US would have been in a different position.

It just took a few weeks for the coronavirus to jump from 2 million to 3 million cases, and it is now approaching 7 million cases with more than 200,000 deaths worldwide. The University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, IHME Model, predicted that the country would witness more than 208,000 deaths by November. On March 31, Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, presented the following chart:

However, the current death numbers are higher than projected for the outbreak with intervention.

The pandemic response was fractured, disorganised, politicised and lacked cohesiveness, as well as containing inadequate contact tracing. The government did not act early enough. Cases in countries like South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan were much less in the initial months as compared to the US. These countries tested citizens earlier and regularly, contact tracing was used and there was a political will of consistent messaging about the pandemic. The US tested fewer people and their policy to counter the pandemic was full of confusion and misdirection.

As recently as July 4, President Donald Trump said, “99% of Covid-19 cases are harmless.” However, medical stats suggest otherwise. 15-20% of cases need hospitalisation and nearly half of them need ICU with permanent injuries after sustaining the virus.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggested that the pandemic could affect 8 trillion dollars off from economic growth. Covid-19 has devastated service sectors, small businesses, daily wagers, hospitality and the travel industry. There were multiple revised estimates for economic contraction for 2020. It was ranging from 5% to 20% in 2020.

Covid-19 rattled Trump’s presidency and it was the crisis of confidence in the government. His biggest narrative and talking point was the strength in the US economy, booming stock markets and the record-level unemployment rate. He was able to boast about it not only to his voter base but also to the established Republican base as well. It has given him an overarching power to sell himself to all small pockets of resistance in his own party. This also gave him the political capital to engage with Europe as well as other trading and strategic defence partner-states around the world.

Secondly, Trump dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic like he did with his adversaries. There is the predictive way of dealing his earlier crisis like the Russian collusion in his election and the firing of a few of his appointees who became adversaries. He first denied the allegations and later ridiculed, defamed, and downplayed the credibility of the messenger. Michael Cohen, John Bolton, John Kelly, Omarosa Manigault Newman, Jerome Powell, Anthony Scaramucci, Jeff Sessions, Rex Tillerson, and a few more have all gone through the same treatment. They all were praised by Trump while being hired and then thrown barbs at when they were fired.

The handling of the pandemic was on a similar pattern. Here are a few statements made by President Trump about the coronavirus cases.

On January 22, he said, “We have it totally under control – it’s going to be just fine.”

On February 24, he said, “The coronavirus is very much under control in the USA – the stock market is starting to look very good to me.”

On February 28, he said, “It is going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

Again, dealing with the pandemic as his political enemy, he falsely created hope. He stockpiled millions of doses of hydroxychloroquine without any scientific evidence that it works. He purposely did not wear masks as a political notion, suggesting to his political base for the defiance of establishment.

This predictable instinct of his personality inadvertently positioned Donald Trump against the pandemic politically. His logic was that if you cannot win, talk it down and hence he started talking Covid-19 down.

When Covid-19 destroyed his economic narrative and political capital to bargain on international trade and alliances, he turned over to cultural issues, seeking refuge in his political base playing with racial tension. Two sections were being targeted, rural-supporter Republicans, and white-suburban moderates and independents.

Former White House Communications Director for Trump, Anthony Scaramucci, has summed up on a Yahoo Finance live video program very well, “It’s a racist move and it’s designed to help him with his base,” “If you go through his internal polling numbers, he is down double-digits in most of the swing states that he needs to win. So when he’s saying nonsense like liberate Minnesota or liberate Michigan, he’s trying to rile up his base. His only play right now is to get the people that voted for him last time to turn out in higher levels than in 2016.”

In 2016, he had positioned himself against illegal immigrants in the USA, proposed to build the wall on the Mexico border. However, in 2020 he had to find another ghost enemy, to position himself and his base against something to distract people from the pandemic-related political fallout. Hence, the China trade rivalry was brought into as a recent talking point. After the approval rating dropped, failure to contain the pandemic and economic disaster needed a diversion for the 2020 election. China must pay for the damage and he bashed Biden and China.

Thirdly, overplay with his political base and not much effort to expand beyond to other segments of society had rattled traditional Republicans who voted for him in 2016. They think another four years of Trump’s presidency may harm the Republican Party in the future. The Lincoln Project, Republican Voters Against Trump, a new super PAC, Right Side PAC, and veterans of the McCain and Bush campaigns are targeting anti-Trump Republicans to support Joe Biden in the November election. Cindy McCain, the widow of the Republican Party nominee, endorses Biden for President. This has strengthened Biden.

The President’s response in handling of the pandemic has eroded confidence in a section of voters who voted for him in 2016. Trump led in the senior citizens’ group over (Hilary) Clinton by 7 points. The new poll is suggesting Joe Biden has a lead around 10 point among registered voters. (Washington Post/ABC poll). This is the same for young women voters. Similarly, for younger voters, campus life and job prospects were shattered due to the pandemic. A recent CNN poll is showing Biden leading by over 20 points among voters under the age 34. Younger voters helped Democrats in 2018 to take over the house.

According to the NBC News polling average, The RealClearPolitics general election polling average and FiveThirtyEight’s national polling tracker gave Biden a 7-8 point advantage. Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Arizona are in trouble. Even Georgia is showing a small lead for Biden by Fox News. Arizona is breaking more in favour of Biden. Trump’s standing on independents and seniors have eroded due to the pandemic and the civil unrest created by the killing of George Floyd.

Perhaps, Trump has realised this. His recent political conspiracy theory on mail-in ballot fraud is another political divergence narrative to make the adverse election outcome questionable, hence doubtful.

However, American democratic institutions are independent and very powerful. The comments made by FBI Director Christopher Wray on the President’s conspiracy theory on mail-in ballots in the 2020 election sums it up. “Now, we have not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it’s by mail or otherwise.”

If the statistical trend continues, as it is, in the next 40-50 days we may witness a big reversal in the 2020 US Presidential election in favour of Biden. There is a chance of a landslide victory in electoral votes as witnessed in 1980 when Republican Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter with 489/49 electoral votes.

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Bangladesh’s BNP seeks stronger India ties based on mutual respect

Bangladesh’s new BNP-led government has signalled a diplomatic reset with India, emphasising mutual respect, trade and broader people-to-people engagement.

Published

7 hours ago

February 14, 2026

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The newly elected government in Bangladesh, led by Tarique Rahman and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has expressed its intent to strengthen ties with India through mutual respect, trade and deeper people-to-people engagement.

Humayun Kabir, who oversees international relations for Rahman and is expected to play a key role in the new administration, said the focus will be on building stronger cooperation between citizens of both countries rather than limiting ties to official exchanges.

He indicated that India would be among the countries the new leadership plans to visit, though no specific timeline was shared. “Obviously there are certain domestic priorities and then international engagements. Of course India will be one of the countries that we will visit among other countries in the region,” Kabir said in an interaction with media.

Expanding engagement beyond official visits

Kabir underlined the importance of expanding the scope of bilateral relations beyond high-level diplomatic visits. While acknowledging that reciprocal visits between senior officials are a normal feature of ties between neighbouring nations, he stressed the need to widen engagement across broader sections of society.

He said the BNP-led government intends to deepen cooperation through trade and investment while strengthening grassroots-level connections.

On regional balance and Pakistan ties

Responding to questions about Bangladesh’s approach towards Pakistan during the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, Kabir said Dhaka’s foreign policy would not be guided by choosing sides in regional tensions.

“It’s normal and we need to normalise relations in the region and regardless of the tensions between India and Pakistan, for us it is not to take sides on this issue,” he said, adding that relations would be shaped by mutual respect and national interest.

Kabir also criticised former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, alleging that her foreign policy approach was perceived as one-sided in its engagement with India. He said the new government seeks to avoid what he described as a country-centric or country-dependent model of diplomacy.

New Delhi’s cautious optimism

From India’s perspective, the decisive electoral outcome in Bangladesh, which delivered a landslide to the BNP, marks the end of the interim phase and opens the possibility of a diplomatic reset.

Indian officials are said to be cautiously optimistic about engaging with Rahman’s leadership. While acknowledging past differences with BNP governments, New Delhi believes the new administration may adopt a pragmatic approach shaped by economic priorities and regional stability concerns.

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Finland PM Petteri Orpo to attend India AI Impact Summit, meet PM Modi

Finland Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will visit India from February 17 to 20 to attend the AI Impact Summit and hold bilateral talks with PM Narendra Modi.

Published

14 hours ago

February 14, 2026

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Petteri Orpo will travel to India from February 17 to 20 to participate in the India AI Impact Summit and hold bilateral discussions with Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Orpo is scheduled to meet PM Modi on February 18. He will also attend the India AI Impact Summit on February 19, which is being hosted in New Delhi.

The Finnish Prime Minister is accompanied by a business delegation comprising representatives of 22 Finnish companies. According to an official release, the visit aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly in digitalisation and sustainability.

Focus on AI governance and innovation

The India AI Impact Summit, being held from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam, will bring together Heads of State and Government, international organisations, AI experts and leading companies from across the globe.

The summit is designed to promote a shared understanding of global AI governance principles and foster international cooperation. Prime Minister Orpo had also taken part in the AI Action Summit in Paris in 2025.

“At the summit, we will highlight Finland’s strengths in the fields of AI policy and innovation. Finland has world-class expertise in AI and the potential to lead the way in its use. At the same time, we will also promote the safe and responsible use of AI,” Orpo said, according to the release.

He noted that geopolitical and economic competition is intensifying, underlining the need for Finland to remain active in global technology discussions. He also emphasised cooperation with like-minded countries while seeking broader international consensus.

During the summit, Orpo will deliver Finland’s national address, visit country pavilions and participate in side events organised by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and National Association of Software and Service Companies. The programme also includes a dinner hosted by PM Modi and other high-level engagements.

Strategic partnership and trade opportunities

The release highlighted India’s growing global role and described bilateral ties as strong and expanding. The inauguration of Finland’s new Consulate General in Mumbai in 2022 was cited as a significant step in strengthening engagement.

Orpo said Finland aims to deepen cooperation with India in the areas of digitalisation and sustainability, reinforcing the new strategic partnership between the two nations.

He also referred to the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-India Free Trade Agreement on January 27, 2026. Talks on the agreement had been underway since 2007, with some interruptions. The pact is expected to improve access for European companies to India’s expanding market and enhance the broader EU-India partnership.

Summit structure and agenda

The India AI Impact Summit will revolve around three pillars — People, Planet and Progress. Discussions will focus on employment and skilling, sustainable and energy-efficient AI, and economic as well as social development.

Seven thematic working groups, co-chaired by representatives from the Global North and Global South, will present deliverables such as proposals for AI Commons, trusted AI tools, shared compute infrastructure and sector-specific AI use case compendiums.

The event will also address AI safety, governance, ethical use, data protection and India’s approach to sovereign AI, including the development of indigenous foundation models for strategic sectors.

An AI Impact Expo will showcase practical AI applications in healthcare, agriculture, education, climate action, energy efficiency and accessibility. The summit will further spotlight national skilling initiatives, including “Yuva AI for All”, a free course aimed at building basic AI awareness among students and professionals.

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Tarique Rahman-led BNP set for landslide win in Bangladesh elections

BNP led by Tarique Rahman has crossed the majority mark in Bangladesh’s national elections, with projections suggesting a two-thirds majority. Jamaat has conceded defeat.

Published

2 days ago

February 13, 2026

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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, is heading towards a decisive victory in Bangladesh’s national elections, with projections indicating a clear parliamentary majority.

Early media projections at 8:00 am local time suggested that the BNP had comfortably crossed the 150-seat mark required to form the government in the 300-member parliament. One projection placed the party at 212 seats, putting it well on course for a two-thirds majority.

The BNP has already declared that it is prepared to form the next government after securing what it described as a majority mandate from voters.

Meanwhile, the Islamist-led alliance headed by Shafiqur Rahman of Jamaat-e-Islami was projected to win 70 seats. Although a significant improvement compared to its previous performance, the tally fell short of its expectations. Shafiqur Rahman conceded defeat and said his party would avoid confrontational opposition politics, adding that it would engage in “positive politics.”

Final results awaited, US extends congratulations

The Election Commission is yet to announce the final results for 299 constituencies where voting took place. An additional 50 seats reserved for women will be allocated based on party lists.

Even before the official declaration, the United States embassy in Dhaka congratulated Tarique Rahman and the BNP, describing the outcome as a “historic victory.”

Political transition under way

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus is expected to step down once the new government assumes office. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has led the country since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 following a mass student-led uprising.

Yunus’s administration had barred the Awami League from contesting the elections by suspending its registration.

This election marked the first in decades without the participation of two dominant political figures — Sheikh Hasina and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who passed away in December last year.

After nearly 17 years in exile, Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to Bangladesh following his mother Khaleda Zia’s death and quickly emerged as the frontrunner for the prime minister’s post.

Referendum on reforms held alongside polls

Voters also participated in a referendum on the July National Charter, a reform package negotiated by the Yunus-led interim administration and multiple political parties. The proposals include limiting prime ministers to two terms, forming an upper house of parliament, and restoring a caretaker government system to oversee elections for 90 days to ensure neutrality.

Sheikh Hasina criticised the election process, calling it “deceptive” and alleging low voter turnout. In a statement, she demanded cancellation of what she described as an “illegal and unconstitutional election” and sought Yunus’s resignation.

India watching developments closely

India is closely monitoring the situation due to its strategic and diplomatic interests in the region. Following recent political shifts in Dhaka and concerns over minority safety, New Delhi has emphasised that it will assess the mandate once results are officially declared.

When asked about the polls, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India would wait for the final outcome before commenting further.

With final results expected soon, Bangladesh appears set for a major political transition, with the BNP poised to return to power in a significant comeback.