That depends entirely on your planning horizon. If you take a long term view, the cost is penurious. If you take a short term view (which our society is built around), then it’ll win you the next election, and nothing after that matters.

Nothing of modern politics is about building a better world or country for anyone - it’s just about winning at any cost.

Tactically, this move is canny. Strategically, it’s dire - but those setting the strategy will be dead of old age before it comes home to roost, so.

I feel that explains how the US found itself in this mess.

This post nicely summarizes the game. The effects of short-term tactics are meant to show once Trump is unable to get re-elected for whatever reason. At that point, some fool will get into power and will have to handle the aftermath.

If my goal was to make money for myself and my corporation (I do that as POTUS since I highly influence all the major funding decisions), I'd do the exact same things. My insta-base will realize the long-term effects on themselves when I'm dead or, at the very least, out of the picture. But, when that time comes, I would be leaving a legacy with a level of wealth/power that will allow mine to absolutely dominate politics for decades.

In other words, Trump is like water and rolls with all punches including big ones like COVID. I'm not American, but one can definitely admire the epitome of self-interest.

I’m sure it’s a rounding error on the economic, social, and physical damage that was done by pretending COVID 19 was a liberal hoax for a month