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US President Donald Trump has told his team to cooperate in the transition of President-elect Joe Biden, but has vowed to keep fighting.
Trump was defeated by Biden in the US elections earlier this month, but he has consistently refused to accept the result, citing widespread electoral fraud but without presenting evidence.
On Monday, in a sign that he might realize he must leave the White House on January 20, he said he had given Emily Murphy, director of the General Services Administration (GSA), the go-ahead to proceed with a transition. for the administration of Mr. Biden.
The GSA is responsible for many of the basic services that enable the US government to function, from building and transportation management to IT, financial services, supply chains, and human resources.
Trump said in a tweet that his case against the election results “continues vigorously,” adding that he and his supporters “will uphold the good fight.”
But he added: “However, in the best interest of our country, I recommend that Emily and her team do whatever it takes regarding the initial protocols, and I have told my team to do the same.”
Federal law states that the GSA administrator must issue a “verification” letter determining the likely winner of the race before the transition can formally begin.
Murphy, a Trump appointee, did this earlier Monday, ensuring that Biden was the “apparent winner” of the November 3 election.
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The move means Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will have federal funding, an official Washington DC office, and regular national security briefings as they head toward Inauguration Day.
Murphy’s announcement came after Michigan certified Biden’s victory on Monday, and two days after a federal judge dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit that sought to avoid certification in Pennsylvania.
He had been under increasing pressure from politicians and others and missed Monday’s deadline to inform lawmakers about the delay in the start of the transition, which is usually a routine step between elections and the inauguration.
Yohannes Abraham, executive director of Biden’s transition, said Ms Murphy’s decision had given the incoming administration “the resources and support necessary to carry out a smooth and peaceful transfer of power.”
He added: “In the coming days, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the response to the pandemic, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain a full understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to empty government agencies “.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “This is probably the closest thing to a concession that President Trump could issue.
“We are all coming together now, Democrats and Republicans, the Trump administration and the incoming Biden administration, to bring about a smooth and peaceful transition that will benefit America.”
Earlier Monday, Mr. Biden announced some key cabinet picks for his national security and foreign policy teams, a list that includes people who worked on the Obama administration in the State Department and the White House.
