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US President-elect Joe Biden will announce the first names chosen for his cabinet on Tuesday, the incoming White House chief of staff said. – and expects a reduced inauguration celebration due to the risks of the spread of the coronavirus.
In a sign that his transition team is moving rapidly, despite Donald Trump’s failure to grant the election and ongoing attempts to thwart the transition process, Ron Klain said Sunday that appointments were progressing at a faster rate than the two previous administrations.
“You will see the first cabinet selections this Tuesday. But if you want to know which Cabinet agencies they are, who will be in those agencies, you will have to wait for the president-elect to say that himself on Tuesday, “he told ABC.
Antony Blinken, a career diplomat who served as No. 2 in the state department and deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, was Biden’s most likely choice for secretary of state, according to reports released Sunday night. by the New York Times and Reuters. .
It comes after Biden said Thursday that he had already chosen his Treasury secretary, implying only that he is someone who will be “accepted by all elements of the Democratic Party.”
Klain said that while parts of the transition are moving at a “record pace,” there are limits to what Biden’s team can do as the current administration continues to try to block the transition, the impacts of which are “increasing every day.”
He said Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris do not have access to intelligence briefings, coronavirus data or background checks of cabinet nominees and criticized the administrator of the United States General Services Administration (GSA), Emily Murphy. , who has delayed the determination of Biden’s victory.
“The law only requires her to find out who is the apparent winner of the election and I cannot imagine there is any dispute that Joe Biden is the apparent winner of the presidential election.”
Klain said the president “has definitely rolled back the democratic norm here in the United States. He’s been doing that for four years and that has increased since the elections. ” When asked about how the incoming administration plans to balance progress with holding the old one accountable, he said the president-elect “will not tell the justice department who to investigate or who not to investigate.”
On inauguration day, January 20, the incoming president typically enjoys being greeted by the outgoing president at the White House, followed by the swearing-in in front of the Capitol, seen by the public on the National Mall and millions on television. . There is a special launch, a procession down Pennsylvania Avenue, and the inaugural balls.
Everything about the Joe Biden celebrations is expected to be different in January, due to the ongoing pandemic.
“We know people want to celebrate … we just want to try to find a way to do it in the safest way possible,” Klain said.
It is speculated that Trump will not participate at all.
And that some events could be canceled or will involve social distancing and wearing of masks with many forced to watch a broadcast online rather than attend in person.
