The COVID-19 Pandemic in the US: The Worst Information Warfare Failure Case Surpassing 9/11

Myker Zenko "Intelligence Agencies' Pandemic Warning Intentionally Ignored by President Trump"
System to Correct President's Misjudgments Collapsed
Trump's Obsession with Reelection Ultimately Brings Trouble

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Although U.S. intelligence agencies repeatedly warned about the possibility of a widespread outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the United States, it has been pointed out that the information failure occurred because President Donald Trump ignored these warnings.

Michael Zencowhitehead, a senior researcher and political scientist in the U.S., wrote in Foreign Policy that "President Trump not only failed to take the situation seriously but also failed to respond to the anticipated risks." Zencowhitehead pointed out that the U.S. government's response to COVID-19 is the worst intelligence failure in history, surpassing the (Japanese military's) Pearl Harbor attack, the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Zencowhitehead views this case as the worst because President Trump deliberately ignored such warnings.

He analyzed that this problem occurred in three stages.

First, President Trump did not try to change his initial thoughts about COVID-19. A wise leader would seek feedback on their judgment, listen to critical voices, and be able to change their mind, but President Trump did not show such behavior.

Moreover, President Trump's erroneous judgment spread to his aides and public officials around him. Even if the president's statements were inaccurate and unreliable, the military and intelligence agencies ultimately followed them. Those who did not parrot the president's thoughts risked losing their positions.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Ultimately, the president's wrong judgment spread to government policy bodies, making no one willing to oppose it. In the past, federal agencies under any administration operated with considerable autonomy, but such autonomy was hard to find under the Trump administration. Key personnel were filled with people who shared the White House's views rather than expertise.

According to a report by The Washington Post (WP), an anonymous U.S. government official said, "Even if President Trump did not anticipate a widespread COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., many people in this government thought it would happen. But no one stepped forward to enable President Trump to take action."

Zencowhitehead stated, "The White House's neglect and indifference in the early stages will be the costliest decision made by a modern president," adding, "President Trump made the wrong judgment from the start, those around him encouraged it, and due to inadequate policy responses, the U.S. will pay the price not only today but for decades to come."

There is also analysis that much of President Trump's misjudgment stems from his obsession with re-election.

For example, on the 28th of last month, President Trump said, "One day, miraculously, COVID-19 will disappear."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

However, contrary to President Trump's expectations, no miracle occurred. In the U.S., 122,666 confirmed cases have been reported, surpassing China to become the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases worldwide. The economic situation has also worsened, with 3.3 million people applying for unemployment benefits in one week. Local governments in the U.S. have even pleaded for support with oxygen respirators and medical supplies.

Furthermore, President Trump is desperately trying to restart the U.S. economy by any means. Critics view this obsession as being due to the presidential election in November this year.

Even Liz Cheney, a U.S. House Representative once considered an ally of President Trump, said, "The economy cannot function properly when hospitals are overwhelmed with people, and thousands, including doctors and nurses, are dying," adding, "All of this is because the government failed to do what it should have done to stop COVID-19."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.