Eight days ago, President Donald Trump warned Americans about the impending "toughest week" of the COVID-19 crisis, but much to his chagrin, the POTUS may be heading straight into a tougher week himself.

As the death toll continues to rise, signs that social distancing constraints have started tempering the crisis have also increased. Good news makes it harder for people to follow the restrictions even though the outcome of the country's war against the deadly virus remains questionable.

As a result of this discrepancy, there is an intense cross-pressure inside the White House. While Republican conservatives, Business interests, and economic advisers are restlessly waiting for the shutdown that has restricted normal life, and thrown millions of Americans out of work to end, public health authorities suggest ending the shutdown prematurely could result in an even deadlier surge of infection with more people dying and broader economic damage.

During an interview with CNN on Friday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease specialist said, "now is no time to back off."

The proportion of the crisis, coupled with the unusual demands it places on America recalls the circumstances President Franklin D. Roosevelt faced back in 1933 after coming into office amid the Great Depression. He challenged the country's psyche and its economy, claiming that the only thing they need to fear is fear itself.

During his first inaugural address, Roosevelt urged Americans to move forward as a trained and loyal army that will leave no stone unturned for the good of a common discipline. It was only through this discipline, Roosevelt believed leadership becomes effective and progress becomes possible.

According to a renowned scholar at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas Donald Kettl, America is facing the same critical governance question at the moment. Kettl says the problem faced by the country is the fear of uncertainty.

A CNN Politics report suggests that Trump has not shown the tenacity to deal with the moment. He was bent on putting a lid on social distancing and even urged churches to open on Easter Sunday to the public before yielding to Dr. Fauci by continuing federal guidelines until Apr. 30.

Geared with an epidemiological model that projects lesser deaths than earlier, Trump is now hinting at a "big bang" economic restart in May. It is worth mentioning here that the aforesaid model assumes that people practice social distancing restrictions through the end of next month, which means, easing off early could lead to lethal consequences.