The CDC is an executive agency and therefore under the ultimate control of the presidency. There is no way that this was not orchestrated from the top by an ignorant president. This isn't stupidity. It's malice. Even if the CDC wanted to do better, they can't. They can't provide messaging or testing or anything against the wishes of the white house. Want to force everyone to wear masks? Can't because it'll embarrass the president. What is the point of even having such an institution when all of its actions can be overridden by a mad man determined to only advance his selfish agenda, an agenda that clearly does not include dealing with this virus in any way? The failure of the CDC has been catastrophic, but there's no way things would have turned out this way had they had free reign to implement proper policies based on science.