White House Stumbles Over How Best To Reopen Schools, As Trump Blasts CDC Guidance

In the latest move from the Trump administration to push for states to reopen schools this fall, Vice President Pence couched guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to safely reopen schools, saying it shouldn't be used as a "barrier" to students returning to classrooms.

Speaking to reporters during a White House Coronavirus Task Force meeting at the Department of Education on Wednesday afternoon, Pence stressed that states and local governments should "tailor their plans" to enable to students to return to in-person instruction.

"None of the CDC's recommendations are intended to replace state and local rules and guidance," Pence said.

Pence was joined by CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, who emphasized that it is not the intent of the CDC to provide a "rationale to keep schools closed" and that existing guidelines aren't meant to be prescriptive.

Pence and Redfield's comments come after President Trump slammed the CDC Wednesday morning, calling its guidelines for reopening schools in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic "impractical" and "expensive."

"I disagree with the @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!!!" Trump wrote on Twitter.