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WASHINGTON: After weeks of defiance, President Donald Trump on Monday (November 23) allowed officials to proceed with a transition to President-elect Joe Biden, giving his Democratic rival access to briefings and funding, even as he vowed to persist in efforts to fight the government. election results.
Trump, a Republican, has denounced widespread electoral fraud in the Nov. 3 election without providing evidence. Although he has not acknowledged Biden’s victory, his announcement Monday was the closest he came to admitting defeat.
The General Services Administration, which is the federal agency that must approve presidential transitions, told Biden on Monday that it could formally begin the handover process. GSA Administrator Emily Murphy said in a letter that Biden would now have access to remedies that had been denied him due to legal challenges seeking to overturn his victory.
READ: Biden appoints team to direct US foreign policy, Michigan certifies Biden’s victory
That announcement came shortly after Michigan officials certified Biden as the victor in their state, making Trump’s legal efforts to change the outcome of the election even more unlikely to be successful.
Trump and his advisers said he would continue to pursue legal avenues, but his tweet served as a sign that even the White House understood the time to move forward was near.
“Our case continues STRONGLY, we will keep up the good … fight, and I believe we will prevail! However, in the best interest of our country, I recommend that Emily and her team do whatever is necessary regarding initial protocols, and I have told my team to do the same, “Trump said in a tweet.
A Trump adviser described the move as similar to both candidates being briefed during the campaign and said the president’s tweet was not a concession.
A statement from Biden’s transition said meetings would begin with federal officials on Washington’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, along with discussions on national security issues.
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The GSA move means that Biden’s team will now have federal funding and an official office to carry out his transition until he takes office on January 20. It also paves the way for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to receive periodic national security briefings that Trump does, too.
Two Trump administration officials told Reuters that Biden agency review teams could begin interacting with Trump agency officials as early as Tuesday.
Earlier Monday, Biden appointed top members of his foreign policy team, choosing his trusted aide Antony Blinken to head the State Department and former senator, secretary of state, and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry as your special envoy for the weather.
