Racism, Conspiracies & Coronavirus: Here’s What You Need to Know.

In times of national tragedy modern U.S. Presidents generally follow a familiar script. They appear on TV as often as needed, reassuring Americans that we are resilient and there’s nothing we can’t overcome. They bring the country together, reminding us that we’re stronger when we’re united. They urge us to take care of one another. They emphasize that doing our part is patriotic.

President Trump has no skill for this and no interest in learning it. We’ve seen this play out multiple times from Charlottesville to Coronavirus. Trump clearly enjoys playing a wartime president on TV but his efforts only make an already anxious nation feel worse, largely because he continually relies on the same tactics.

Race-baiting and conspiracy-mongering have always been staples of President Trump’s political and communications strategy. Trump’s response to Coronavirus has been more of the same, and it isn’t going to change.

From the start of the outbreak, Trump both downplayed the potential harm of Coronavirus and suggested that the rest of the world’s response to it was a hoax intended to make him look bad. The pro-Trump media ran with this narrative, especially Fox News, essentially putting Trump’s base more at risk because of how much false information they were receiving. Multiple polls show how…