Scott Atlas resigns as special adviser to Trump on coronavirus

 

White House pandemic adviser Scott Atlas speaks to reporters during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 23, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dr. Scott Atlas has resigned as special adviser to President Donald Trump, a White House official said on Monday, after a controversial four months during which he clashed repeatedly with other members of the coronavirus task force.

 

Voters' unhappiness with Trump's response to the global pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands helped propel his challenger, Democrat Joe Biden, to victory in the Nov. 3 election.

 

"I am writing to resign from my position as special adviser to the president of the United States," Atlas said in a letter to Trump dated Dec. 1 that he posted on Twitter.

 

Public health experts, including Anthony Fauci, the leading U.S. infectious disease expert, have sharply criticized Atlas, a neuroradiologist, for providing Trump with misleading or incorrect information on the virus pandemic.

 

In his letter, Atlas listed what he considered accomplishments in reopening schools and expanding virus testing while also defending himself against his many critics.

 

"Like all scientists and health policy scholars, I learned new information and synthesized the latest data from around the world, all in an effort to provide you with the best information to serve the greater good," he wrote.

 

Atlas was considered a special government employee on a 130-day detail that expires this week. Fox News first reported his resignation.

 

His views on the handling of the pandemic have also been denounced by peers at Stanford University's medical school and elsewhere.

 

Atlas has repeatedly downplayed the importance of masks and this month said lockdowns had been "an epic failure" in stopping the spread of the virus.

 

He also had to apologize this month for an interview with Russia's Kremlin-backed television station RT, saying he was unaware it was a registered foreign agent.

 

Dr. Celine Grounder, a member of Biden's advisory panel on the crisis, greeted the news of the resignation with relief.

 

"I’m relieved that in the future, people who are qualified, people who are infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists like me will be helping to lead this effort," she told broadcaster CNBC.

 

"You wouldn’t go to a podiatrist for a heart attack and that was essentially what was happening.”

 

(Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps)

 

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Aram Roston and Steve Holland; Writing by Lisa Lambert and Eric Beech; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Gerry Doyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-01

 

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Rats, ship, jumping.

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

"You wouldn’t go to a podiatrist for a heart attack and that was essentially what was happening.”

 

A quote above that sums up the Trump Admin and his appointees in a nutshell... a bunch of people lacking in pertinent knowledge and expertise whose only purpose and skill was sucking up to Trump, and leaving the American people bereft.

 

But I think the quote above would be slightly more apt if it were rephrased as follows:

 

"You wouldn’t go to a PROCTOLOGIST for a heart attack and that was essentially what was happening.”  Because, after all, that has been their area of expertise!

 

Edited December 1, 20205 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

I think everyone will be happy with this.

He joined Trump's administration as a Special Government Employee (SGE) serving a 130 day detail. His role is set to expire this week. He could have allowed his employment to expire but he chose to resign. I think that is significant. I will wait for him to write his book to understand the backstory. 

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

A quote above that sums up the Trump Admin and his appointees in a nutshell... a bunch of people lacking in pertinent knowledge and expertise whose only purpose and skill was sucking up to Trump, and leaving the American people bereft.

 

But I think the quote above would be slightly more apt if it were rephrased as follows:

 

"You wouldn’t go to a PROCTOLOGIST for a heart attack and that was essentially what was happening.”  Because, after all, that has been their area of expertise!

 

 

Also tells you a lot about that Quack: A good proctologist would know, where his expertise ends and refuse to advise beyond his scope. A charlatan though would look at the money and the 90 days of (in-)fame.

Trump is alike a black hole of intelligence: sucks in any good idea and ideal turning it into anti-matter.

Edited December 1, 20205 yr by IgboChief

this guy was dumb like a stump, hard to believe someone was paying him for this incompetence..

4 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

He joined Trump's administration as a Special Government Employee (SGE) serving a 130 day detail. His role is set to expire this week. He could have allowed his employment to expire but he chose to resign. I think that is significant. I will wait for him to write his book to understand the backstory. 

 

It will be out in the Fall of 2021 and is tentatively called, "How To Save Your Professional Reputation".

6 hours ago, stevenl said:

I think everyone will be happy with this.

He has a nice tan and a full head of hair,   why isn't he president?

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr. Scott Atlas has resigned

Well, he can now "map" out a new career!!

“From 1998 to 2012, Atlas was Professor and Chief of Neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Center in California. According to the American Board of Radiology, he holds a valid board certification in diagnostic radiology, while his certification in neuroradiology lapsed in 2017.” My earned M.A. is in History/Education ... you think I should qualify to advise in Pyscholgy, another Social Science? I would not presume such ...

How many lives has this one man caused by his desperate need to suck up to trump I’m glad he gone can we sue him for malpractice?and trump for incompetence?it just beggers belief to see such unqualified incompetence at such a high level a true disgrace to the medical profession  

8 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Rats, ship, jumping.

 

who will turn on who first? Will Trump twitter trash the quack before or after the quack badmouths Trump in his for sure to come Tell All memoires "Saving The Nation From A Pandemic".

3 hours ago, IgboChief said:

Trump is alike a black hole of intelligence: sucks in any good idea and ideal turning it into anti-matter.

10 ++
5 ++
depends where one is from

LoL

Tatters. How long does it take to rebuild a reputation? How silly was he to accept the post, knowing he was not qualified? How silly were people to appoint him and listen to him, knowing he was not qualified?

13 hours ago, webfact said:

Dr. Scott Atlas has resigned as special adviser to President Donald Trump,

Good riddance 

In the OP:

>>Voters' unhappiness with Trump's response to the global pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands helped propel his challenger, Democrat Joe Biden, to victory in the Nov. 3 election.<<

 

It ain't over till it's over and in my opinion above statement is not correct.

4 hours ago, hugocnx said:

In the OP:

>>Voters' unhappiness with Trump's response to the global pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands helped propel his challenger, Democrat Joe Biden, to victory in the Nov. 3 election.<<

 

It ain't over till it's over and in my opinion above statement is not correct.

Ummm....what statement?  Hundreds of thousands have been killed, many due to lies by the president.  And more would have been killed if we followed the advice of Atlas.  A disgusting individual.

 

Joe Biden did win.  Just dotting the I's and crossing the T's now.  It's only a matter of time.  Even Barr has thrown in the towel:

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/01/politics/william-barr-election-2020/index.html

William Barr says there is no evidence of widespread fraud in presidential election

I think his 130 days were up as a temporary employee?

 

Guy's supposed to be a brilliant neuroradiologist. Not sure about his epidemiology qualifitcations.

 

trump brought a dull butter knife to a gun-fight.

 

Heck I wouldn't go to a podiatrist if my head hurt.

 

So much winning.

 

 

28 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

I think his 130 days were up as a temporary employee?

 

Guy's supposed to be a brilliant neuroradiologist. Not sure about his epidemiology qualifitcations.

 

trump brought a dull butter knife to a gun-fight.

 

Heck I wouldn't go to a podiatrist if my head hurt.

 

So much winning.

 

 

Kinda like Rand Paul trying to tell Fauci what to do with regards to the virus.  Stunning.  But, that's what Trump wants.  Conspiracy theorists and Yes men.  Nothing else will do for him.