Washington: Dr Scott Atlas has resigned as special adviser to United States President Donald Trump, after a controversial four months during which he clashed repeatedly with other members of the coronavirus task force and questioned measures designed to curb the spread of the disease.
“I am writing to resign from my position as Special Advisor to the president of the United States,” Atlas said in a letter to Trump dated December 1, that he posted on Twitter.
Atlas, a neuroradiologist with no expertise in infectious diseases or epidemiology, was appointed in August on a special 130-day contract.
He has been sharply criticised by public health experts, including Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious diseases expert in the US, for providing Trump with misleading or incorrect information on the virus pandemic and has downplayed the importance of face masks and social distancing.
This month, he said lockdowns had been “an epic failure” in stopping the spread of the virus. In October, Twitter removed a post in which he downplayed the importance of masks.
