We can’t “return to normal” until we recreate the conditions that allowed normal to exist: i.e., defeating the virus.

Ok, yes. And a very powerful person who could not decide on 'masks, no masks' or 'Natural occurence, or China' or 'Fake news, or real deaths', and who's confusion trickled down into the common people.

Could've been better?

Trump is the only President in modern history to hem and haw in the face of a national crisis, that I know of.