Addressing a traumatised nation, the US president fumbled. His Oval Office speech lacked command and old doubts resurfaced about his fitness for the role. Much of Washington sensed that a man elected in good times (while losing the popular vote) was out of his element in a crisis.
For all that, George W Bush’s ratings surged after the attacks of September 11 2001, such that his first words are now half-forgotten. The Beltway reviews had misjudged public sentiment.
After an infinitely worse speech two weeks ago, Donald Trump might be in the early stages of a similar if less extreme feat. His handling of the coronavirus outbreak has achieved positive ratings so far. According to Gallup, his general approval score has returned to its all-time high. What seemed to be career-ending ineptitude (a representative headline: “The Trump presidency is over”) is having the opposite effect. Eight months from a presidential election, the mystery of his resilience needs explaining.