Psaki: Biden, Harris don’t have to restrict nonessential travel because they use private planes

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday said President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are not required to restrict nonessential travel as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because they travel on private planes.

During the press briefing on Monday, Psaki was asked about the president's travel amid the coronavirus pandemic and CDC guidelines that recommend against nonessential travel.

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"I would say that the president travels, as does the vice president, on a private plane," Psaki said. "That is the purview of every president and vice president throughout American history."

Psaki said traveling on a private plane is "of course, different than traveling on a commercial flight and going to mass events."

"As you know, we don’t – the president is not hosting rallies, nor is the the vice president," Psaki said. "We take the role of  being models quite seriously."

She added: "But, I think most Americans would recognize the difference."

Psaki's comments come as the CDC continues to urge Americans against nonessential travel, warning that it increases the chance of spreading COVID-19, even for those who have been vaccinated.

The U.S. in recent days surpassed 30 million cases of COVID-19, with the seven-day average of new cases around 60,000.