Pence reverses position barring coronavirus task force members from appearing on CNN: report

Vice President Pence on Thursday reversed an earlier decision that had barred members of the White House coronavirus task force from appearing on CNN.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield appeared on the network’s coronavirus town hall Thursday night, and leading infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci is booked for a Friday appearance, CNN reported Thursday.

It was the first time a task force member has been on the network since April 2, when Pence’s office began prohibiting the officials from appearing on CNN, reportedly in an effort to pressure the network to air the White House press briefings in full each day.

CNN decided to stop airing the briefings live over concerns that Trump’s remarks were regularly inaccurate or misleading and impossible to be fact-checked in real time. CNN has aired portions of the briefings, including some segments when Pence and public health officials are speaking and taking questions from the press.

“When you guys cover the briefings with the health officials then you can expect them back on your air,” a Pence official told CNN on Thursday morning.

Pence’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

Over the past week, the White House made other officials available to CNN, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper on “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper and trade adviser Peter Navarro on “Anderson Cooper 360” and “New Day.”