In terms of American deaths, it is the equivalent of 22 Iraq wars, 33 Sept. 11 attacks, 41 Afghanistan wars, 42 Pearl Harbors or 25,000 Benghazis. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/24/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-death-toll.html?referringSource=articleShare">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/2... @peterbakernyt

This was a death toll that Mr. Trump once predicted would never be reached.

In late February, he said there were only 15 coronavirus cases in the United States, understating even then the actual number, and declared that “the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.”

In the annals of the American presidency, it would be hard to recall a more catastrophically wrong prediction.

Even after he later acknowledged that it would not be zero, he insisted the death toll would fall “substantially below the 100,000” mark.