Trump issues new threat to schools if they refuse to reopen in the fall despite deadly pandemic

President Donald Trump is doubling down on his threat to cut funding from schools that decided to remain closed this fall during the deadly novel coronavirus pandemic.

Writing on Twitter, the president appeared to walk back his own administration's efforts to walk back his earlier threats to cut off funding for schools that don't reopen on schedule.

"Now that we have witnessed it on a large scale basis, and firsthand, Virtual Learning has proven to be TERRIBLE compared to In School, or On Campus, Learning," the president wrote. "Not even close! Schools must be open in the Fall. If not open, why would the Federal Government give Funding? It won’t!!!"

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany earlier this week tried to back away from an earlier Trump threat to cut off schools' funding, and she said that the president actually wants to give schools more money, although she provided no evidence to back up this claim.