Twitter Takes Down Tweet from Trump Covid Adviser Scott Atlas Saying ‘Masks Work? NO’

Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Twitter has removed a tweet from White House coronavirus adviser Scott Atlas for violating its policy on sharing false or misleading information.

Atlas posted a tweet questioning widespread mask use — something that has been emphasized and encouraged by other health experts and even other White House officials — that started by saying, “Masks work? NO.”

This tweet from Dr. Atlas, the medical adviser closest to the president right now, has been flagged by Twitter for violating its policies about misleading info. Atlas, a neuroradiologist who doesn’t specialize in infectious diseases or epidemiology, is often seen without a mask. pic.twitter.com/H07rVASwZD

— Monica Alba (@albamonica) October 18, 2020

Per CNN’s reporting, Atlas’ tweet was removed because “the policy Atlas violated prohibits sharing false or misleading content related to Covid-19 that could lead to harm.”

Atlas was immediately called out for the tweet before it was taken down:

Scott Atlas — the @WhiteHouse covid advisor — spreading false information.

The piece he links to is incoherent junk.

But as a source of disinformation — he is creating confusion and "debate" on issues where the data is pretty clear.

Masks work https://t.co/AXVz1TBTDX

— Ashish K. Jha (@ashishkjha) October 17, 2020

Masks work? YES. This is appalling. Atlas offers no explanation for the increasing mountain of evidence in support, and instead offers only a bizarre and incoherent paper. I don't know why the administration wants to die on this hill. https://t.co/t8fM2DS4lU

— Atul Gawande (@Atul_Gawande) October 18, 2020

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