Many doubt (with good reason) Trump’s announcement that he has been infected with the Coronavirus. Here is why I believe him:

There is almost no upside political advantage to being sick, contagious and off the campaign trail. 1/5

Trump acquiring CIVID-19 fundamentally undercuts his entire campaign strategy which was to ignore the pandemic and make unsubstantiated claims that we’ve turned the corner and are making an economic comeback. 2/5

If the president contracted the virus with all the built-in precautions, then everyone is vulnerable and lays bear the lie about it being a hoax. 3/5

The Trump campaign’s main advantage including incumbency have been disappeared. Rallies, his main vehicle for mobilizing his base will no longer be possible. Fly-byes with Air Force One as a backdrop are gone in the critical weeks of the race while people are actually voting. 4/5

Given that Trump’s rationale for re-election has evaporated as well as his ability to campaign and mobilize his voters at his once famous rallies, it will become increasingly difficult for him to convince donors that has a winning strategy for re-election. 5/5