It’s a challenging time for politicians, as they seek to set out measures which prevent the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible, without damaging the economy to an irreparable degree. At the time of writing, the US has the worst death figures of all, as thousands have sadly suffered the devastating consequences of this deadly virus.

President Donald Trump has come under immense scrutiny throughout this time. On one side, many have been critical of the president for downplaying the significance of the virus, and for remarks he made on potential treatments, which were described by The Guardian as a “debacle”. On the other side, some have criticised the US government for the lockdown measures which have been put in place in some parts of the country, saying that it risks damaging businesses and, as a result, livelihoods.

It’s clear that Trump’s handling of the crisis has been questioned by some, and there is some concern in the US that the number of cases will continue to rise as Trump assembles his new task force to devise the best way for the country to move out of lockdown in a timely manner. The economy is something Trump has a lot of time for, not surprising given his many exploits in the world of business, so it’s no shock that he is keen to get America’s economy moving again after this period of uncertainty.

With the 2020 presidential election looming large, Trump finds himself in a difficult position in terms of getting people on his side in terms of his plans for defeating the coronavirus. The latest US Presidential Election odds show that Trump has the edge over prospective Democratic candidate Joe Biden, but if he alienates a proportion of the public through his management of this unprecedented crisis, then that could all change very quickly.

Trump’s first term in office has already been one marked by controversy, as a number of his decisions have been questioned by the media and politicians from other parties. The articles of impeachment which were brought against him will not have helped in terms of garnering public trust ahead of the election, and now this crisis threatens to further divide a nation that was left in something of disarray after the 2016 election.

If more of the public lose faith in Trump as a result of the coronavirus, it will be an opportunity for Biden to make ground in the presidential election. If Biden can prove himself to be sensible and calm under high-pressured situations such as this current one, then he could win over many Trump supporters who have been concerned at the president’s comments in recent weeks. Even now, it’s difficult to say how Trump’s handling of this devastating pandemic will impact upon US politics in the near future. The political betting forecasts still present him as the favourite to secure another four years in office, but the US is not nearly out of the woods as far as Covid-19 is concerned, and how Trump manages the crisis from here on out will have a major bearing on the result we see come the election.