Dr. Scott Atlas, Controversial Trump COVID-19 Adviser, Resigns From White House Job

With Monday marking only 51-days until President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office, Dr. Scott Atlas, a controversial coronavirus task force member, announced his formal resignation as special adviser to the president.

Atlas, a former Fox News contributor with no expertise in infectious disease, joined the Trump administration as a Special Government Employee (SGE) in August. He had switched agencies under a temporary 130-day detail, which had been set to expire this week.

Atlas submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump on Monday.

On Monday night, Atlas tweeted his resignation letter. During his 130-day service, he aggressively advocated for reopening schools and the economy, repeatedly railing criticism against left-wing politicians who had initially ordered the lockdowns, despite many GOP state governors calling for them almost immediately after.

During his tenure, Atlas became infamous for attacking face coverings and social distancing, despite being an official member of the White House’s coronavirus task force and working underneath Dr. Anthony Fauci, the world’s leading infectious disease expert. He became an advocate for the controversial idea of “herd immunity” – that once a certain percentage of the population becomes  infected with the disease its spread would slow.

In the letter, Atlas wrote, while acknowledging the Biden administration’s inbound coronavirus team, that “I sincerely wish the new team all the best as they guide the nation through these trying, polarized times.”