[BFatts]

I still believe it would have. The information regarding COVID-19 has been evolving since the beginning, 24/7 which has lead to the "truth" changing repeatedly. Also, Trump has huge support from his business buddies, including Big Pharma so I would have to assume they would have either protected him or they would have warned him.

If your implication is that the media and the science community conspired to make the president look stupid, I think you've got a big hill to climb to prove that.

[koheripbal]

No conspiracy is necessary. There is a mass emotional desire to contradict anything Trump says. Agreeing with something Trump says has become very taboo, particularly in academic social circles.

...and I think it's possible that's what we see here. An emotional decision to publish, and then no one wanted to contradict because no one wanted to be viewed as a Trump sympathizer.