President Trump relaunched his election campaign on May 3 in an unfavorable situation, with the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the US having exceeding 66,000, the domestic unemployment rate having reached a record high, and voters’ confidence level in the incumbent president having shown little improvement compared to that in the Democratic candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden. Perhaps that’s why President Trump chose the Lincoln Memorial in Washington as the venue to deliver his new campaign messages in a TV town hall broadcast live on Fox News.
Taking place in a highly iconic setting – at a memorial dedicated to the 16th US President and one of the most popular leaders of the US, this special meeting was themed “America Together: Returning to Work”, which is currently a leading priority and concern among the majority of US constituents. The COVID-19 pandemic is overshadowing the economic achievements that are considered a “golden guarantee card” for President Trump’s efforts to win re-election for a second term. Despite its recent flourishment, the world’s no. 1 economy is now facing unprecedented difficulties due to the coronavirus lockdown. Once facing a wave of criticism for his “poor handling” of the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, President Trump has been upsest again concerning the tough problem of whether to maintain strong measures to cope with the “second wave” of the pandemic or to “unfreeze” socio-economic activities to meet the urgent needs of US workers and businesses.
Calling himself as a “wartime leader” and seeing COVID-19 as an “invisible enemy”, President Trump wishes to soon declare victory over the disease and return to the election campaign. In the message, he persuaded voters to believe in such a triumph with a promise that a COVID-19 vaccine would be available later this year, that Americans can return to the coasts from this summer, and also that schools will reopen in September.
The US President empathised with the difficulties faced by the people, who are discontent with their lives being “turned upside down” due to lockdowns. The White House leader also affirmed that he would push hard to restart the economy in a rapid but cautious manner. Moreover, President Trump announced a plan to soon end months of self-quarantine on the White House campus to make trips to remote areas and to key states, such as Arizona and Ohio.
The latest messages delivered in the town hall partly outlined President Trump’s new plan to revive voters’ confidence which has plunged since COVID-19 knocked on the country. Currently, the most unfavourable factor for his re-election campaign remains the pandemic as the “invisible enemy” has claimed the lives of more than 66,000 Americans and millions of jobs, as well as “swallowing” trillions of dollars in the national budget to serve relief packages.
However, there are some favourable factors which could help the incumbent US President reverse his disadvantageous situation, regardless of the fact that the “golden guarantee card” has slipped out of his hand. By accelerating the reopening of the economy and the resumption of social activities, he met the urgent aspirations of a large section of voters and eased a growing wave of anger across the country. With clearer signs of recovery in the US stock market, commitments to support the financial sector as well as businesses help President Trump maintain support from rich and middle-class voters. The policy of tightening immigration and protecting jobs for Americans is favoured even more by voters during this COVID-19 period.
Despite these, the pandemic has made President Trump’s re-election campaign much tougher. However, this is also an opportunity for the US leader to show his bravery and talent to drive the country through unprecedented challenges. Surely the most difficult task for President Trump in the immediate future is to both curb the disease completely and aslo restore socio-economic activities to satisfy the people.
