"His actions clearly indicate he doesn't believe it is a hoax."

Huh?

He called Fox News and said on air ""So if, you know, we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people [with COVID-19] that get better, just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work, some of them go to work, but they get better,""

His whole schtick until just about a few hours ago was that the risks were all hugely overblown.

I am also curious to know exactly which "previous unfounded criticisms" you are referring to.

I don't know if I'd call that blatantly partisan. Stupid, perhaps, or a hamfisted attempt to prevent panics and economic crashes, but it's not especially political.

"it's not especially political"

Yes. Yes it is. How many times has Trump tweeted about the stock market and how it proves he is a great president? Hundreds. Literally. His NEA chair has explicitly stated "I have long believed that stock markets are the best barometer of the health, wealth and security of a nation. And today's stock market message is an unmistakable vote of confidence for the president." His entire political argument for reelection is premised on his "business acumen." His down playing of coronavirus (to what end? why?) was a blatantly partisan attempt to gamble that this whole thing would blow over rather than risk spooking the markets.

Given the impacts that the stock market crash and his handling of the virus crisis are likely to have on the election, it is definitely a political matter. Realistically any time a president comments on anything it is a political matter.

""When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done."

so? That is not the same thing as saying it is a hoax. Plenty of reasonable criticisms to make but that doesn’t mean the President thinks the virus itself is a hoax. I am arguing for clear communication and facts and people are basically saying screw that let’s just spread rumors because, reasons. How is that helpful?