Former Education Dept. Press Secretary Challenges Fauci’s Diary Claim on School Reopenings

Former Education Department press secretary Angela Morabito told reporters that the July 8, 2020 White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, which featured Vice President Mike Pence, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and CDC Director Robert Redfield, was intended to give optimism about a safe return to K-12 schools, not to demand reopening “no matter what.” Her view directly opposes a passage in Anthony Fauci’s newly released diary, which portrays President Trump and Redfield as pushing schools open despite safety concerns.

Morabito pointed to the $13.2 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds and pandemic health guidelines as evidence the administration prioritized safe reopening. She referenced Denmark, Norway and Taiwan as models that combined early school openings with rigorous testing and cleaning. The diary excerpts were released by Senator Rand Paul ahead of a Senate hearing where Fauci, now retired, is expected to testify on the pandemic response. Morabito maintains that the administration’s message was to reopen schools responsibly, citing mental-health harms from prolonged closures.