Former US President Donald Trump has criticized any possible move to reimpose COVID-19 lockdowns or mandates, warning proponents that “don’t even think about it.” The statement was posted on Trump’s campaign account on X, where he dismissed the attempts of “left-wing lunatics” to reintroduce COVID policies, whom he accused of attempting to rig the 2024 presidential election by putting the country under COVID hysteria once again.
Trump claimed that such policies are linked to election integrity issues and argued that if the left controls the election process, they would be able to implement their preferred policies through propaganda and by imposing draconian measures on the public. In the statement, Trump declared that Americans would not comply with mandates on school closures, mask-wearing, or vaccinations, emphasizing their right to freedom of choice.
In response to the emerging consensus on the right that COVID lockdowns and mandates were wrong, Trump had pushed back against draconian lockdown policies during the 2020 election debates with Joe Biden. According to Trump, the left’s desire for freedom infringement by imposing lockdowns and mandates was unrealistic and could lead to the destruction of society, saying, “We can’t close up our nation [or] you’re not going to have a nation.”
Despite Trump’s opposition, some institutions have reinstated COVID policies, including mask mandates. Morris Brown College in Atlanta announced on August 20 that it would reinstate its mask mandate following the Delta variant outbreak in the US.
Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa has also come out affirming her opposition to the reintroduction of lockdowns and mandates, emphasizing that she will not enact such policies while she remains in office.
Trump’s criticism of proposed COVID restrictions aligns him with other leading Republicans who believe that imposing draconian measures on the public and restricting their freedom is not the answer to combating the pandemic. Furthermore, Trump’s statement is in sync with the sentiments of many Americans who are skeptical about the need for renewed restrictions and mandates.
The debate over whether COVID policies, such as lockdowns and mandates, are helpful or necessary has continued to rage on. While some believe stricter measures are required to curb the spread of the virus, others argue that such measures are unnecessarily restrictive and harmful to individuals’ livelihoods and well-being. Trump’s recent statement reflects the ongoing division over the issue and the need for a well-thought-out approach to finding practical solutions.
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