For now, the president’s greatest tool has been his rhetoric — particularly the ways in which he is using the war metaphor to boost public morale, reach supporters who remain dismissive of the worldwide pandemic and preemptively position himself as a president who rose to the occasion when voters weigh their options this November.

“President Trump has figured out that he has to put aside that proudly reckless style of governance that has been a staple of his presidency to date and adopt a posture that’s more typical of what presidents have done in crises,” said David Greenberg, a Rutgers University history professor.

“At the same time, it’s not so much about calling himself a wartime president as it is about whether he matches the rhetoric with actions that make us safer,” Greenberg added.

To that end, Trump has enlisted the help of nearly everyone in his usual orbit — and beyond.

According to two people familiar with the discussions, Trump has privately encouraged White House aides, friends and corporate executives to brainstorm creative steps they can take to curb the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, keep health care professionals equipped to manage patients, and prevent hospitals from becoming overcrowded and doctors overwhelmed.

Officials involved with the White House Office of American Innovation, for example, have spent the past several days conferring with major tech companies about how they can help distribute public service announcements related to COVID-19 and prevent severe supply shortages as consumers prepare for weeks of minimal social contact outside their homes and hospitals worry about the availability of protective personal equipment — including surgical masks, goggles and gloves — and office supplies.

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law who has spearheaded much of the outreach to Big Tech and other industries, is trying to marshal the private sector behind the president.

Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are pressuring GOP lawmakers to quickly pass a massive aid package of more than $1 trillion to stabilize the economy and soften a coronavirus-induced recession. And on Wednesday, Trump announced a mutual agreement with Canada to close the United States’ northern border to all nonessential traffic — a step that came as the president simultaneously weighs new restrictions on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump’s push to portray himself as a wartime leader has gained broad attention not because of his efforts to get the military, the government and private industries involved in responding to the coronavirus outbreak but because of the manner in which his entire administration and 2020 campaign appeared to adopt the same message overnight.