Report: Dr. Atlas formally resigns as Trump’s special adviser on the coronavirus pandemic
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President Donald Trump’s special adviser to the coronavirus pandemic has formally resigned.
According to a resignation letter dated for Dec. 1 and obtained by Fox News, Dr. Scott Atlas said he “worked hard with a singular focus – to save lives and help Americans through this pandemic.”
BREAKING—Trump’s pandemic advisor Scott Atlas has just resigned, according to Fox News exclusive.
Atlas, who has been controversially pushing herd immunity, has been at the WH for ~130 days. Resignation letter dated tomorrow December 1, 2020. #COVID19
https://t.co/AihP1HOeAP pic.twitter.com/HDpB4os6yc— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 1, 2020
Atlas, who was considered a “special government employee,” was hired on a 130-day detail, which was set to expire this week. He is a radiologist with no previous experience in infectious diseases.
Atlas clashed with other members of the coronavirus task force over his controversial stances and urged the White House to take on a “herd immunity” strategy, where the virus should be allowed to spread through the population so that people build up immunity, rather than trying to contain it through shutdown measures, according to the Washington Post.
“I have real problems with that guy,” Dr. Anthony Fauci recently told the Washington Post. “He’s a smart guy who’s talking about things that I believe he doesn’t have any real insight or knowledge or experience in. He keeps talking about things that when you dissect it out and parse it out, it doesn’t make any sense.”
NEW: @CBSNews confirms Dr Scott Atlas has resigned as special advisor on COVID to President Trump. (First reported by @FoxNews). Tax-payer funded WH press office won’t comment on why this tax-payer salaried official left his post. @CBSNews
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) December 1, 2020
Scott Atlas is not just “highly controversial” but is a widely discredited purveyor of anti-science disinformation and conspiracy theories that have actively caused harm. To be clear: Masks work. #covid19 is real. Herd immunity kills. https://t.co/zcygN3JWc4
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) December 1, 2020