The coronavirus pandemic has upended the life of every single American. Of course, it did not have to be this way. Our allies in Europe and Asia have successfully suppressed the spread of this virus. However, we are the nation with the highest number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths. The only way out of this mismanaged crisis is with a proven vaccine. Yet, if the Trump administration cannot even be trusted with handling this pandemic, they cannot be trusted with the rollout of a vaccine.

Since March, President Trump has knowingly downplayed the severity of this crisis. He continually attacked states that imposed measures like mask-mandates or stay-at-home orders. In his campaign for re-election, he has also continually held crowded events that were even responsible for the death of former presidential candidate Herman Cain. Now, President Trump has contracted this deadly disease and was rushed to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. as a result.

The Trump administration has lost all of its credibility in regards to the coronavirus pandemic. This administration has made many endorsements of unfounded treatments and supposed cures. The president has shown support for many alternatives ranging from hydroxychloroquine to bleach, and none of them have worked. They could not even protect themselves from this plague; it would be a foolish mistake to believe they would protect American families.

The president has already politicized the rush for a vaccine. Despite repeatedly claiming that this crisis would miraculously disappear, he is extremely eager to find a cure. His White House has pressured the FDA and CDC to support untested solutions that could harm people. There was even much talk within the administration of trying to release a vaccine before the presidential election to help Donald Trump politically.

We know that the Trump administration is more interested in finding a cure to help the current president’s political prospects rather than the American people. They will cut corners and rush through inconsistent solutions if it means an electoral victory. Even if there is a vaccine, the president is known to help his base before anyone else.

In the midst of this pandemic, President Trump ridiculed blue states and happily withheld aid from them as he saw no personal benefit for himself. It would not be out of character if he rolled out vaccinations in South Dakota and Kentucky before strangling states like California and Illinois. Unless a universally trusted medical expert such as Dr. Fauci endorses this vaccine, anything that comes out of this administration should be met with suspicion.