Trump Administration refused President pressuring CDC over School Reopening

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US President Donald Trump’s administration has denied pressuring the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) into scrapping and revising guidelines for reopening schools in the fall even after Donald Trump made clear his opposition to the suggested rules in a morning tweet. The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany said, “No, not at all. We’re all on the same page”. President Trump also appeared to throw down the gauntlet on his own hand-picked CDC leaders about a set of guidelines it had crafted to help local and tribal school systems get children back in the classroom. Donald Trump apparently believes the guidelines of the CDC for re-opening schools are too rigorous and could lead some officials to decide to keep their students on an online-only curriculum come to the fall term.

President Trump also said, “I disagree with @CDCgov on their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools. While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things. I will be meeting with them!!!” But, McEnany later mentioned the tweet as more of a policy move than him clashing with his own CDC leaders. She said, “The CDC is very much on the same page as the president”. It is noteworthy that CDC chief Robert Redfield has said his agency’s guidelines are not prescriptive and not requirements. President Trump and White House are pushing hard to reopen schools in spite of an ongoing second surge in coronavirus cases, especially in Sun Belt and Southern states.

Point to be noted that there are now more than 3 million confirmed cases and at least 131,000 deaths in the country from the deadly disease. Moreover, McEnany also tried to defend another morning tweet from Trump. Trump’s tweet threatened to deny federal assistance monies to school systems that opt against the opening in the fall. President tweeted, “In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families. May cut off funding if not open”!