Gretchen Whitmer fires back at White House Covid adviser: ‘I’m not going to be bullied into not following reputable scientists’

Gretchen Whitmer said she would not be bullied by Scott Atlas , who was appointed to advise President Trump on coronavirus

(REUTERS)

Michigan’s Democratic governor and prominent Donald Trump opponent, Grethcen Withmer, has denounced White House doctor Scott Atlas, who she said was not “a reputable scientist”.

Dr Atlas, who the US president appointed to advise the White House coronavirus task force in August, said people should “rise up” against new anti-coronavirus measures announced in Michigan.

“The only way this stops is if people rise up,” wrote Dr Atlas on Twitter on Sunday. “You get what you accept.”

Ms Whitmer said she would not be bullied by the scientist, who was appointed to advise President Trump on coronavirus without any background in infectious diseases.

"We know that the White House likes to single us out here in Michigan, me out in particular,” said the Democrat to CNN on Sunday. “I'm not going to be bullied into not following reputable scientists and medical professionals".

"If everyone does their part, we will see a big benefit from it," she said of the new restrictions. "But we'll be assessing it every step of the way."

When they come into effect on 18 November, most sports and entertainment venues will close, while workplaces and schools will be made to run remotely, ClickonDetroit reported.

Ms Whitmer, who was recently the subject of an alleged far-right kidnap plot, has often come attacked from the president and his allies, who dispute strict measures to control the coronavirus.

Still, she is among a number of state officials who have announced new emergency measures amid an up-tick in cases, and an absence of leadership from the White House on Covid-19 since the 3 November election. 

On Sunday, the United States surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, after recording one million new cases within a week.

The country has also seen more than 245,000 deaths since the pandemic started, in what ranks as the world’s highest death toll.