DEVELOPING STORY
President Donald Trump authorises government to begin the transition to Joe Biden’s administration.
US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday was formally given the go-ahead by a federal agency to begin his transition to the presidency, shortly after the battleground state of Michigan certified him as the winner there.
With the rapid-fire developments, President Donald Trump’s already languishing efforts to overturn his November 3 defeat appeared to be coming to a close.
The US General Services Administration (GSA), an independent agency, informed Biden that his transition – leading up to a January 20 swearing-in – could officially begin.
GSA Administrator Emily Murphy made the determination after Trump’s efforts to challenge the vote failed across battleground states, citing, “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”
Trump, who had refused to concede the election, said in a tweet that he is directing his team to cooperate on the transition but is vowing to keep up the fight.
In a tweet, Trump wrote that Murphy and her team should “do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”
…fight, and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
The GSA had been withholding access to transition funding, leading to bipartisan criticism.
The Biden-Harris Transition Executive Director Yohannes Abraham reacted to the news in a statement: “This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies.”
In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”
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