In February, as more information about the virus became known, epidemiologists verbalized their expectation (based on modeling) that the virus would kill 200,000 - 400,000 people in the United States.
We have done just as expected. The notion that anyone (in power in the US) dropped the ball or did not react appropriately to the virus is mostly false.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/opinions/osterholm-coronavirus-interview-bergen/index.html 