Donald Trump's latest criticism of one of his administration’s public health officials reflects his lack of trust in experts. Aside from that, the president's recently surfaced broadside also places the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Director Robert Redfield on the hot seat.

President contradicted Redfield’s congressional testimony on the efficacy of masks and vaccine distribution on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Trump said he called the CDC director and told him that he was mistaken. The GOP and White House allies joined in on Thursday.

Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows said Redfield wasn't one of those involved closely in the process of planning for vaccine development and distribution. During his appearance on Fox & Friends, Meadows raised questions about the source of Redfield's particular timetable, adding that it is not based on those closely involved in the process.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he would trust Trump rather than Redfield when it comes to details about vaccine development and distribution. This is the latest case of Trump undercutting public health professionals and officials in his own administration, and this is not the first time the president has placed Redfield in a compromising situation either.

Redfield was slammed for lauding Trump during a visit to the CDC headquarters, and the president wrongly claimed that any American who wanted to get tested for COVID-19 could take the test. In April, Trump urged Redfield to dispute his comments to The Washington Post that the winter would pose a serious threat because of the combination of flue season and the ongoing pandemic, but the CDC director said he was quoted accurately.

The guidance on who to test for COVID-19 was changed recently to oppose the testing of people who were asymptomatic but were had been exposed. Earlier this week, top communication officials in the HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) faced strong criticism for attempting to control the content and timing of the CDC’s weekly scientific reports on the still-raging pandemic, The Hill reported.

Trump said he has confidence in Redfield, and the officials think it is unlikely the president would fire the CDC director just ahead of Election Day and in the middle of the pandemic. Former CDC officials and public health experts suggest Redfield needs to be more forceful when it comes to defending the reputation of the agency and the integrity of its work.