Tension is continuing to escalate between CDC officials and The White House over the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19. The strained relationship between both parties caused 6 high-ranking CDC officials to speak with CNN on the condition of anonymity. The group of CDC officials feel as though their work has been hindered because of Trump’s administration making political decisions rather than those backed by science.
One of the CDC officials said, “What’s tough is that if we would have acted earlier on what we knew and recommended, we would have saved lives and money.” Comments like this make it increasingly more evident that widespread frustrations are growing over how Trump and his administration are handling Covid- 19.,
CDC officials who spoke with CNN have echoed feelings of the perceived mistrust and politically driven decision making . “If you look at our guidance documents online, they have been watered down a lot,” said a current CDC official. “The ones that were written in March say, ‘Go home and stay there,’ and they are very clear. And the ones now say, ‘in consultation with state and local governors, do what they say.’ We normally give guidance and then states take that guidance and turn it into policy.”
Continuing to make policy that goes against the science of the CDC in favor of politically attractive decisions could lead to more lost lives. Now is the time for politics to be set aside in order to save the lives and well-being of millions.