Tall metal fences now surround the White House grounds, and workers are building viewing platforms in preparation for the US presidential inauguration on January 20. However, three weeks after Donald Trump won the election, the formal transition process between Joe Biden’s administration and Trump’s team has only just begun.
As reported by the Leaders Asia sources, on Tuesday, Mr. Trump reached the required agreement with the Biden White House, allowing his transition staff to work with federal agencies and access non-public information. This agreement also allows government workers to cooperate with the transition team.
However, Trump has yet to sign an agreement with the General Services Administration (GSA), which would grant his team access to secure offices and email accounts. The GSA agreement includes provisions requiring the president-elect to limit contributions to $5,000 and disclose the names of donors to his transition effort. The Trump team has stated they would make their donors public and reject foreign donations.
As per the sources of Leaders Asia, the Presidential Transition Act mandated that the White House agreement be signed by October 1, but the Biden administration had to make repeated requests for the Trump team to move forward with the process.
While Trump has announced most of his cabinet picks, his nominees have not undergone the usual FBI background checks required for Senate confirmation. Experts point out that it is essential for Trump’s team to begin transitioning as soon as possible to stay up to date on important national and foreign matters.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan recently met with Mike Waltz, a Republican congressman who is nominated to succeed him. They discussed the importance of working closely together, assuring that the transition would remain coordinated despite the delays.
John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, confirmed that the meeting occurred and emphasized on the administration’s commitment to ensuring an orderly and professional transition process.
