As memories of the COVID-19 pandemic slowly fade for many, former President Donald Trump’s controversial handling of the crisis risks being overlooked. Yet experts argue that forgetting this period might hinder our ability to address future health challenges effectively. This phenomenon of “post-pandemic amnesia” underscores the importance of recalling how public health and political maneuvers intersected, sometimes dangerously.
Trump’s Question: “Are You Better Off Now?”
In a recent campaign event, Trump asked supporters, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”—a line echoing Ronald Reagan’s famous election pitch. But unlike Reagan, who was met with widespread approval despite controversial policies, Trump’s focus on his pre-pandemic era recalls a period rife with missed opportunities for public health protection. During the initial COVID outbreak, Trump’s administration faced criticism for minimizing the virus’s severity, sidelining scientific guidance, and promoting unproven treatments, including suggesting bleach injections.
The Rise of “Post-Pandemic Amnesia”
Psychology and history reveal that after traumatic events like pandemics, societies often engage in selective forgetting, as with the 1918 influenza pandemic that was soon dubbed the “Forgotten Pandemic.” This selective memory, however, carries risks: failing to acknowledge the stark realities of past crises might weaken our defenses for future ones.
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Dr. George Makari, a psychiatry professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, points out that Trump’s question ignores the reality of the pandemic’s early, chaotic days when hospitals were overburdened, and deaths soared. According to Boston College professor Guy Beiner, this “post-pandemic amnesia” is typical, as societies struggle to reconcile collective trauma with current events, often seeking to move forward without processing the past fully.
How Trump’s Leadership Shaped Public Health Outcomes
Trump’s approach to COVID-19 led to mixed results and unprecedented politicization of public health. His administration dismantled established pandemic preparedness plans, cut funding to the World Health Organization (WHO), and contributed to widespread misinformation. Anti-science rhetoric and vaccine hesitancy flourished, especially among his political base, significantly affecting COVID outcomes. Counties with majority Republican voters, for instance, recorded higher COVID-19 death rates, attributed partly to lower vaccine uptake.
Despite authorizing Operation WarpSpeed, which accelerated vaccine availability, Trump’s stance on vaccination remained ambivalent. Polling data reveals that just 4% of Americans now recall COVID-19 as a defining aspect of Trump’s presidency, with his economic policies taking center stage instead. However, public health statistics tell a different story: the COVID pandemic saw U.S. life expectancy drop 2.7 years from 2020 to 2021, largely driven by the pandemic and preventable deaths during the crisis.
Lasting Impacts and Lessons for the Future
The Biden administration aimed to restore public health trust by widening vaccine access, reopening schools, and tackling racial health disparities. But, as Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist, notes, Biden’s efforts faced ongoing challenges. Anti-vaccination sentiments have gained traction in Congress, potentially undermining budgets for pandemic preparedness and other scientific initiatives.
With threats like avian influenza on the horizon, experts emphasize the need for a unified, science-based approach to public health—something the country struggled to maintain during COVID-19. Public health leaders stress that “when” the next pandemic occurs, a depoliticized, scientifically grounded response will be critical.
Processing Collective Trauma
The mental and emotional residue of the pandemic lingers. Dr. Makari suggests that unprocessed memories of early 2020 may contribute to today’s intense societal divisions. Collective trauma, left unresolved, can fuel divisiveness, leaving remnants of anxiety and distrust. Moving forward, the public and policymakers alike need to remember the lessons of COVID-19—resisting the urge to forget so that history doesn’t repeat itself.
