While their actions may not quite match their words, the CDC's public policy since mid January has been to "slow down" the spread. They have known since the beginning that they could not contain it overseas or effectively screen all travelers. The coming weeks will be about limiting outbreaks with public health policies and actions, or what CDC refers to as "Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions".
If the CDC was really looking to slow down its spread before it was out of control here, they would not have stopped all testing of it for weeks.