[Burnett:] Tonight, thrown under the bus, kind of no way to put this one. President Trump overriding his own education secretary, Betsy DeVos, and the proposal in his own budget to cut nearly $18 million for the Special Olympics.
[Trump:] I just told my people, I want to fund the Special Olympics. I just authorized a funding of the Special Olympics. I have overridden my people. We're funding the Special Olympics.
[Burnett:] My people. It's his budget which they stood by. DeVos is responding in a statement, and she's playing ball, playing the party line. I am pleased and grateful the president and I see eye-to- eye on this issue and that he has decided to fund this Special Olympics grant. This is funding I have fought for behind the scenes over the last several years. OK. Except but the problem with that is, if that's what she really felt, well, I mean, this is totally different than what she said just earlier today. Ryan Nobles is OUTFRONT.
[Ryan Nobles, Cnn Washington Correspondent:] Betsy DeVos, under fires for days for her agency's proposal to slash $18 million in funding from the Special Olympics, starting with a viral moment defending the position.
[Rep. Mark Pocan , Wisconsin:] Do you know how many kids are going to be affected by that cut, Madam Secretary?
[Betsy Devos, U.s. Secretary Of Education:] Mr. Pocan, let me just say again, we had to make some difficult decisions with this budget.
[Pocan:] I'll answer for you, that's OK, no problem. It's 272,000 kids
[Nobles:] But then today some hedging.
[Unidentified Male:] Did you personally approve? I think a yes or no will do the $18 million cut of the funding for Special Olympics?
[Devos:] No, I didn't personally get involved in that.
[Unidentified Male:] Well, I want to tell you, whoever came up with that idea gets a Special Olympic gold medal for insensitivity.
[Nobles:] The education secretary wouldn't say whose idea it was.
[Reporter:] Madam Secretary, you said you were not the person that proposed this funding change. Can you explain who in your administration did? Madam Secretary, have you spoken to the president about this at all?
[Nobles:] The cuts are a tiny part of a 10 percent reduction in the $70 billion Department of Education budget. DeVos has claimed Special Olympics gets enough funding from private donors and didn't need federal funding. She then turned the tables on Democrats, claiming they were playing politics.
[Devos:] Let's not use disabled children in a twisted way for your political narrative. It's that is just disgusting and it's shameful.
[Nobles:] But late today, in the face of nationwide outrage, the president turned the tables on her.
[Trump:] I just told my people, I want to fund the Special Olympics, and I just authorized a funding of the Special Olympics.
[Nobles:] The stunning about-face by Trump comes even as fellow Republicans were criticizing the proposal.
[Reporter:] Do you support the administration's request to cut funding to the Special Olympics?
[Rep. Kevin Mccarthy , Minority Leader:] No. I fully support Special Olympics.
[Nobles:] Today's switch should be welcome for supporters of the Special Olympics who were taken aback by the proposal.
[Derek "tank" Schottle, Special Olympics Athlete:] It's a bit shock for me. All I can do is pray for Special Olympics.
[Nobles:] But it marks another public relations blunder from the education secretary whose had a series of difficult and uncomfortable moments.
[Interviewer:] The public schools here are doing worse than they did.
[Devos:] Michigan schools need to do better. There is no doubt about it.
[Interviewer:] Have you seen the really bad schools? Maybe try to figure out what they're doing?
[Devos:] I have not I have not I have not intentionally visited schools that are underperforming.
[Interviewer:] Maybe you should.
[Devos:] Maybe I should, yes.
[Nobles:] It's important to point out that even though this was in the president's budget, it never stood any realistic chance of actually happening, despite what the president said today, he's not the person that authorizes funding in the federal budget. That job is here in Congress. They are the appropriators, and there are no Republicans or Democrats that you can find on Capitol Hill who said that this should happen. We should point out Congressman Mark Pocan, he is the one who initially questioned Betsy DeVos about the Special Olympics funding cut, he put out a statement tie today saying he is glad the administration changed course. He ended it, Erin, by saying this: And by the way, can someone pull Betsy from under the bus? Erin?
[Burnett:] All right. Thank you very much, Ryan. And next, Jeanne tries, tries to catch up with Senator Elizabeth Warren.