[rsynnott]

I wouldn't have thought the companies involved are primarily thinking of that. The risk to the companies is that Trump going on about skipping trials will hurt public confidence in any vaccine that is finally released, even if such skipping never happens. This announcement may serve to reassure some people that the manufacturers are going to behave themselves even if the government is negligent.

Also, probably, reassure some shareholders. The reputational risks involved in this trial-skipping stuff are horrific.