Trump Struggles to Balance Mitigating Epidemic, Protecting Economy

President Trump is to announce new tax and spending plans Tuesday to tackle the economic threat posed by the novel coronavirus. It is a step in the right direction but no guarantee of success. Mr. Trump must overcome his administration’s misconceptions of the crisis and frictions with other political leaders whose cooperation is essential.

The White House has struggled to strike a balance between mitigating the epidemic and protecting the economy. It swiftly cut off travel to affected countries, which seemed overly aggressive...