The November elections and campaign period over the last several months have proven to be eventful with many endorsements from prominent figures and even historic endorsements from organizations that try to stay away from politics. A medical journal, the New England Journal of Medicine, recently spoken out against Donald Trump and his administration’s pandemic response.
The editors of the medical journal published a piece called “Dying in a Leadership Vacuum,” and while they did not call Trump out by name, the implication remains. The prestigious Journal criticized Trump and the administration for their response to COVID-19, which has now seen 210,000 Americans dead and millions infected by the disease. The editors described the current handling as having turned a crisis into a tragedy.
They have also cited comparisons of the pandemic response in the US and in other countries, even larger countries like China, and that the US leads the world in death tolls. This also includes countries like Japan, with the elderly making up a substantial portion of the country’s population. The piece represents a break in the organization’s 200-year tradition of staying away from politics or making political stances.
“Anyone else who recklessly squandered lives and money in this way would be suffering legal consequences. Our leaders have largely claimed immunity for their actions. But this election gives us the power to render judgment,” wrote the editors in the piece. “When it comes to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent. We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs.”
Even after contracting COVID-19 himself, Trump continues to downplay the effects of the disease in the midst of claims that he is feeling better. Trump has pushed to get back into the campaign trail as he seeks reelection and recently said he may put together a rally in Florida this weekend. This is despite the guidelines laid out that large gatherings could only lead to a spike in coronavirus cases, with Trump’s refusal to wear face masks whenever in public events.