White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday the U.S. won't be able to "control the pandemic."
During an interview with CNN, President Trump's aide was asked why Vice President Mike Pence was still on the campaign trail after at least five of his staffers tested positive for the virus over the weekend.
Meadows responded that when it comes to stopping the spread of COVID "we are not going to control the pandemic" because the coronavirus "is a contagious virus just like the flu."
Meadows added, "What we have to do is make sure that we fight it with therapeutics and vaccines, take proper mitigation factors, in terms of social distancing and masks when we can."
Critics have said the Trump administration did not do enough to contain the virus early in the pandemic.
On Sunday, President Trump's 2020 challenger, Joe Biden, said Meadows was waving "the white flag of defeat."
Pence's office said has tested negative for the virus. Meadows said Pence will wear a mask during campaign events but take it off during his speech.
