Trump allows Biden to start transition to office
Trump allows election winner to receive classified reports and prepares to retreat to his golf resort
The White House last night permitted Joe Biden to receive the president’s daily brief, as Donald Trump made preparations for a new life in Mar-aLago, Florida. It means Mr Biden, as president-elect, will have access to classified reports about security threats around the world. The move usually happens swiftly after an election but had been held up for weeks as Mr Trump declined to concede. It marks a milestone for Mr Biden’s bid to take over on Jan 20.
THE White House last night gave approval for Joe Biden to receive the president’s daily brief, as Donald Trump made preparations for a new life in Mara-lago.
It means Mr Biden, as presidentelect, will have access to classified reports about security threats around the world which are prepared for the US leader.
The move usually happens swiftly after an election but had been held up for weeks as Mr Trump declined to concede.
Allowing access for Mr Biden marked a milestone on his way to taking over from Mr Trump on Jan 20. Meanwhile, it emerged that Mr Trump is preparing for a new life at Mar-a-lago, his club in Palm Beach, Florida, as he gave a 64-second press conference in which he did not mention the election at all.
In an impromptu appearance at the White House, the president celebrated a new stock market record, and said he was “very thrilled” by new coronavirus vaccines.
He went on to “congratulate” people within his administration who “worked so hard,” and “most importantly the people of our country because there are no people like you.”
Mr Trump declared that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had surged past “a sacred number, 30,000, and nobody thought they’d ever see it”.
Renovations of l iving areas are reportedly under way for Mr Trump, and his wife Melania, at Mar-a Lago.
Secret Service agents in the president’s protective detail have also been quietly asked if they want to relocate there. Former presidents receive Secret Service protection for life, and the agency’s Miami office will look at whether further security infrastructure is required at the resort. Mr Trump changed his permanent residence from New York to Florida last year.
The president indicated he would not concede before leaving the White House. He reposted a series of tweets by Randy Quaid, the actor, who is calling for another election.
Quaid, who starred in Independence Day, said there should be an “in-person-only-paper ballot re-vote”.
Mr Trump also reposted a message from a supporter, saying: “I concede NOTHING!!!!!”
A new poll showed Mr Trump was the clear favourite for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
The Politico/ Morning Consult poll had him on 53 per cent among Republicans.
Mike Pence, the vice-president, was in second place on 12 per cent, and Donald Trump Jr third on 8 per cent.
Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results received a further blow when Pennsylvania officially certified that Mr Biden had won there.
Mr Biden pressed ahead at speed with the transition, which formally began on Monday after Emily Murphy, head of the General Services Administration, ascertained that he was the apparent winner.
That decision freed up $7.3 million (£5.5 million) in government funds for Mr Biden to set up a transition office, and his aides began communicating with dozens of government agencies to get up to speed.
Those included the Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention, and the Trump administration’s Warp Speed project, from whom Mr Biden’s team will seek information on plans for distributing vaccines, and data on the pandemic.
The Pentagon said it had established a transition task force and was “in discussions on the next steps” with the Biden team.
Mr Biden’s aides will begin moving to government email addresses.
Mark Meadows, Mr Trump’s chief of staff, sent an email to officials there saying the administration would “comply with all actions needed to ensure the smooth transfer of power”.