Scott Atlas, Donald Trump’s most trusted coronavirus adviser, has resigned, bringing to an end a controversial tenure that epitomised many of the administration’s battles with public health experts over how to deal with the pandemic.

Dr Atlas confirmed on Monday he would leave his post following a stormy three months during which he pushed the US president to oppose coronavirus mitigation measures, drawing condemnation from prominent scientists including his own colleagues at Stanford University.

In a resignation letter dated December 1, Dr Atlas wrote: “We identified and illuminated early on the harms of prolonged lockdowns, including that they create massive physical health losses and psychological distress, destroy families, and damage our children.”