Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19, or the sprinkler watered

Audio 02:54

US President Donald Trump announced that he had Covid-19 on October 2, 2020. REUTERS / Carlos Barria

By: Bruno Daroux Follow

7 min

Donald Trump announced this October 2 to be positive for Covid-19, as well as his wife Melania.

A declaration that has the effect of a thunderclap in the American political sky.

One month before the US presidential election, what impact can this announcement have on the final weeks of the electoral campaign?

Publicity

This

one month before the presidential election first has an impact on the president himself and his wife: they must remain in quarantine for two weeks, confined to the White House.

Clearly, the timing of this announcement is bad for the president.

He must cancel his meetings, and to start the one that was scheduled for Friday in Florida, a very important state.

Its strategy based on proximity to its supporters takes a hit.

However, he counted a lot on this to catch up - especially in the famous "swing states", those swing states that play such an important role on election day.

Advantage or disadvantage?

This forced convalescence of 14 days therefore thwarts his plans.

It is not known whether the second debate with his opponent Joe Biden can take place as planned on October 15.

Could this health problem be favorable to him, in terms of empathy in public opinion?

This was the case for two of his counterparts,

, when he was stabbed during the election campaign, and again when he himself was infected with Covid-19.

The case also

, when he himself had to face a fairly serious form of the new coronavirus.

What is interesting to note, moreover, or ironic as one likes, is that these two leaders, like the tenant of the White House, initially minimized the reality of the pandemic.

For Donald Trump, it will first depend on the severity of his condition and how he comes out of this ordeal.

Objectively, he is immediately weakened, in every sense of the word, but we know that he is never as good as when he is in adversity.

In particular, if all goes well for him, he could use his recovery to show just how strong he is despite his age, 74.

What attitude for Joe Biden

Will this unexpected twist benefit Trump's challenger, Democrat Joe Biden?

Probably at first.

Faced with the disdain shown by the president vis-à-vis the pandemic at the beginning, not to mention the sometimes grotesque solutions imagined by him - such as an injection of disinfectant - Joe Biden has always been very responsible, wearing his mask at all times , which also earned him a joke from Donald Trump during the first debate a few days ago.

But faced with this unexpected event, Joe Biden must calibrate his response.

He will no doubt have to do two things simultaneously: wish his opponent a speedy recovery, which he has already done, and at the same time recall the misdeeds engendered by Donald Trump's chaotic management of the pandemic - including now for the president himself.

He hasn't done it yet.

But some in his entourage are already remarking casually that what is happening to the presidential couple is also the result of a failure in the Republican camp to take into account the seriousness of the epidemic.

Politics quickly returned to the forefront ...

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• United States

• Donald trump

• Coronavirus

• USA Elections 2020