White House counselor Kellyanne Conway voiced sympathy Monday for those who have been protesting state-level stay-at-home orders, claiming that some governors are “more concerned about controlling the populations than protecting them.”

Conway’s comments, during an interview on Fox News, come as the White House tries to strike a balance between continuing to advocate social distancing while defending President Trump’s tweets last week voicing support for protesters in some states, including Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia.

Conway said that Americans should continue to follow guidelines promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including physical distancing, wearing masks in public and practicing enhanced hygiene.

But she also argued that some governors — including Democrat Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan — have overreached. Among other things, Whitmer has taken flak in her state for declaring lawn services to be nonessential while allowing the state’s cannabis retailers to remain open with restrictions requiring drive-up sales.

“Some of these governors have physically distanced from common sense,” Conway said. “In Michigan, you can basically smoke your grass but not cut your grass. This makes no sense to many people.”

In previous media appearances, Whitmer has said her main focus is protecting the public health in her state and brushed aside criticism of the scope of her orders.

Conway argued that many of those unhappy with the scope of state-level orders are “not fomenting domestic rebellion.”

“They’re saying, ‘Look, I’m in a low-infection area, I’m asymptomatic, not exposed, I want to get back to work,’ ” Conway said, noting that many people will struggle with paying bills next month.

Governors, she said, “have the last word” on stay-at-home orders.

“Many of them are working on that,” Conway said. “But some have been more concerned about controlling the populations than protecting them, and the president is just making that clear.”