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Carolyn Kaster / AP
US President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware, as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris watches.
US President-elect Joe Biden says Donald Trump’s failure to acknowledge his victory is “disgraceful.”
It marked the sharpest criticism yet of the incoming president in office, as Trump’s team has refused to formally begin preparations for the transition.
Answering questions from reporters on Wednesday (NZT) for the first time since his victory, Biden predicted that “it will not help the president’s legacy.”
Biden said “nothing is going to stop” the advancement of his administration, despite Trump’s refusal to concede the race, adding that his transition is “well under way” and that he is reviewing possible cabinet elections.
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Biden said that some Republicans’ denial of his victory “is not [of] many consequences in our plan and what we can do from now until January 20 ”.
When asked by a reporter what he would say to Trump, Biden said, “Mr. President, I am looking forward to speaking with you.”
Carolyn Kaster / AP
Biden said he has not yet spoken to Donald Trump after the US election.
No pressure for legal action against Trump
Biden said his transition team will not take legal action to try to force the Trump administration to officially recognize him as president-elect.
“I honestly do not see the need for legal action.”
Much of the formal transition work doesn’t begin until the General Services Administration administrator determines the “seemingly successful candidate” in the election, and that hasn’t happened yet amid Trump’s legal challenges to election results in some state.
The GSA’s failure to designate Biden as the official winner prevents the Democrat and his team from receiving federal funding for their transition and having access to the agencies they will need to work with to facilitate the transition of power.
You are also not receiving a classified daily briefing on security threats that are normally offered to the president-elect.
Biden said the briefing “would be helpful, but not necessary” and that his transition team did not need federal funds to continue their work.
“We don’t see anything to slow us down.”
