Trump did push through the vaccine, would be hard to turn against it a couple of months later.
~~~~~~~~~~
He was in between rock/hardplace. Once the MSM convinced the public they were about to die, then Trump was faced with a nationwide panic situation, and Pelosi was keeping up her steady assertions that Trump was murdering Americans through his “inactivity” as he tried to calm the panic.
Pelosi was likely calling the to the UN (Halp! HALP! Come save us! He’s killing us AGAIN!). So to deal with the panic among the public, and I believe to deal with threats against public safety if he did not allow the vaccine farce, Trump pushed it through in record speed.
I can’t remember which commentator theorized that the rush was partly protective of teh public - it would give the public reason to doubt the vaccine, “Well it was pushed through in record time....and it’s new technology.” That commentator also thought that by pushing as hard as he did, the vaccine companies fell over themselves with technical problems and likely created something that will have to be withdrawn. That might be the case for the AstraZeneca as it is being withdrawn in Europe for side effects.
I’ve read that one of the vaccines (Moderna) that was sampled had less than 55% active mRNA (quality issue) so a percentage of the public received inactive doses.
I believe the leverage is still in place - public doubt that Trump and his whole family took it will cause more pressure/leverage. Best left vague.
I agree, although I don’t think they have leverage on Trump - I think the leverage would be the loss of faith by his supporters if he came out against the vaccine that was created under his Warp Speed program
Plus, Trump isn’t trained in the biosciences, and as far as he probably knew going into the job those are “the good guys”. under that situation, he and all the prior office holders probably defer to advisors on the subject FAR more than for things like the economy or defense.
I’ve a feeling on the other side of this the shell of respectability deference that surrounds the medical/pharmaceutical and associated regulatory fields to excess will be well and truly munged up.