The White House this week blocked all members of the coronavirus task force from testifying to Congress without the express permission of President Donald Trump’s new chief of staff.

The White House told congressional committees that no task force member can accept an invitation to testify without approval from chief of staff Mark Meadows after it blocked Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the country, from testifying before a House committee, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post.

The memo also limits the number of hearings officials at government agencies can attend, arguing that the “demands on agencies’ staff and resources are extraordinary in this current crisis.”

“Agencies must maximize their resources for COVID-19 response efforts and treat hearing requests accordingly,” the memo said. “Given these competing demands in these unprecedented times, it is reasonable to […]