As the cemeteries filled up, Trump took no time publicly to lead a nation in grief. Not once since the start of the pandemic had he gone to a church to mourn the victims. He refused to order the nation’s flags lowered until Democratic congressional leaders pleaded with him to do so. He did not call for a moment of silence. At various points, he had invited to the White House health company executives, governors, cruise boat company heads, religious leaders, and others affected by the crisis—but never Americans who had actually lost someone to the virus.
