Washington | It was a warm summer Wednesday, Election Day was looming and President Donald Trump was even angrier than usual at the relentless focus on the coronavirus pandemic.

"You're killing me! This whole thing is! We've got all the damn cases," Trump yelled at Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and senior adviser, during a gathering of top aides in the Oval Office on August 19. "I want to do what Mexico does. They don't give you a test till you get to the emergency room and you're vomiting."