During his entire tenure, Trump has suffered many self-inflicted wounds, but his mistakes and irresponsible actions during the coronavirus pandemic and the racial unrest following the murder of George Floyd have assured that he will be a one-term president.

Trump’s chaotic response to the COVID-19 pandemic is best illustrated by his self-defeating resistance to donning a mask. His stubborn stance, mimicked by his base undercuts efforts by public health officials to flatten the curve.

Not wearing a mask has become a sign of allegiance to the science-denying commander-in-chief, and his sycophants look askance at anyone wearing a mask in public. If Trump’s followers were as eager to put on a mask as they are to wear a MAGA hat we would make progress against the spread of the coronavirus.

By not wearing a mask Trump is playing with fire, he’s setting a bad example that will result in non-compliance by his supporters, and the spread of the virus that will in turn impede efforts to revive the economy.

But Trump’s greatest gamble is that his penchant for not wearing a mask will result in him being infected with the coronavirus. A morbidly obese septuagenarian with a history of heart disease is at great risk of dying from the virus. Even if he catches the coronavirus and survives it will be a death blow to his reelection chances. The optics of the stable genius smitten by the coronavirus would be a metaphor of how he has completely screwed up his response to the pandemic.