The news comes as President Trump and the Food and Drug Administration announced progress Sunday in treating COVID-19. So far, the virus has killed more than 175,000 Americans.

The FDA declared emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients, saying its benefits outweigh its risks.

Convalescent plasma is blood from people who have survived the virus which is then transfused into people currently fighting it.

It's been used on 70,000 people since the pandemic began. The treatment is a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It's a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.

President Trump said the emergency use authorization will dramatically increase access to the treatment.

But the FDA's chief scientist says the treatment should not be recognized as a new standard for treating Coronavirus patients.

In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: "COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.

According to the Associated Press, the White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval. The accusations of an FDA slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump's team on what he refers to as the "deep state" bureaucracy.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that "we've looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it."

"This president is about cutting red tape," Meadows said in an interview Sunday on "This Week" on ABC. "He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don't see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'Young Washington' Delivers Record Opening Weekend for Angel Studios

After an Emotional Loss to Belgium, the US Men's Team Continued to Give God the Glory

A 'Miracle': CCP Releases Pastor Ezra Jin

House Speaker Johnson Braces for a High-Stakes July with Everything on the Line

Why the NATO Summit in Ankara Matters to the US

New Report Details Secret Service Failures in Butler Assassination Attempt

Charlie Kirk's Family Faces Accused Killer Tyler Robinson for the First Time as Murder Case Moves Forward

'The Passion of the Christ' Getting Theatrical Re-Release Ahead of Highly Anticipated Sequel

A Sweet Update on That Oregon Couple Who Stepped Up at the Great American State Fair

The World Lights Up for America's 250th, While the American Left Opts to Whine About It

The America 250 Celebration in DC Was One for the History Books (Videos)

Must Watch: Katharine Birbalsingh's Fiery ARC Speech-How Schools Are Destroying the Moral Core of the West (Video)

DHS Condemns Minnesota Pardon of Convicted Child Rapist

The President Rings NYSE Opening Bell from the Oval Office, While Officially Launching the Trump Accounts for Children

Venezuelan Earthquake Death Toll Soars as Country's Independence Day Arrives

July 4th Fireworks Will Be Great on America's 250th Birthday, But Your Dog Will Hate Them!

Our Favorite Patriotic Tunes, Part 2: 3 Songs Swiped from the Brits (Videos)

World Cup: Team USA Wins, Goes to the Sweet 16 Round against Belgium on Monday

3,000 Walk Boston's Freedom Trail: 'We Have A Lot to Thank God For'

Except for Democrats, a New Survey Shows Americans Still DO Have Pride in Their Country (And We Don't Mean the LGBT Kind)