He also dismantled the literal team (Global Health Security and Biodefense unit) that was supposed to help with issues like the pandemic then made it worse by going against all medical professional advice and actively opposing it on TV. If you don't want to defend Trump, then don't because there is nothing here to defend. He mishandled the entire thing and all he did is give major tax cuts to the rich.

The 2017 tax cuts Trump implemented massively increased the debt. Obviously, that was before the pandemic. Those tax cuts were stupid and directly to blame for a significant icrease in the debt. Which is the opposite of what Trump claimed would happen.

https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-did-tcja-affect-federal-budget-outlook