‘Trump aides sought to meddle with CDC’s virus reports’

NEW YORK: US health department spokesperson Michael Caputo and his aides asked for the right to read and suggest changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s weekly Covid-19 reports, Politico reported, citing emails and three people familiar with the matter.
Communications aides from the US department of health complained to CDC director Robert Redfield and other officials that the agency’s reports would undermine President Trump’s optimistic messaging about the pandemic, according to the report. CDC staff pushed back against changes but have increasingly agreed to allow political appointees review the reports, and have agreed to amend language in some cases, Politico said.