In a surprising development, the incumbent US President Donald Trump has accepted that the official transition of power should begin for the President-elect to take office on January 20. Even as he vowed to keep challenging the outcome of the presidential election, Trump said that the federal agency responsible for transition should do whatever needs to be done.
Meanwhile, the General Services Administrations, a federal institute that plays an important part in the transition process, has said that it was acknowledging Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the White House race. This important development came after the authorities in Michigan certified the result, which analysts view as a major blow to transition.
More:
- Donald Trump Ally Urges Him To Accept Defeat In US Presidential Race
- Biden set to name the first Cabinet picks on Tuesday
The announcement from the federal agency means that the incoming president will now have access to national security briefings, offices, and government officials. His transition website has now changed to government domain, and the President-elect is expected to announce some of his cabinet nominees on Tuesday.
On the other hand, Biden’s transition team welcomed the announcement from the President and the GSA. His team described this development as a step in the right direction and towards solving the issues the US is facing. Earlier, the Democrat revealed his nominations for national security and foreign policy; most of them were his former colleagues during the previous democratic governments.
Reportedly, Biden is set to announce John Kerry as the Secretary of Climate and Antony Belkin as the Secretary of State. These appointments came ahead of the formal scheduled announcement on Tuesday, and most of them would require Senate confirmation. Meanwhile, the GSA informed Biden’s transition team that they would formally begin the transition. Emily Murphy, the federal agency’s head, said that she was making nearly $6.3 million of funds available to President-elect Biden.
She further cited the recent developments and the situation of legal challenges in her decision to formally recognize Biden as the President-elect and begin the transition process. Murphy, who was appointed by Trump, added that she received no pressure from the incumbent administration.
Despite Trump’s decision to begin the transition process, he has not conceded yet. However, the incumbent went on to repeat the unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and irregularities. Although, many Republican lawmakers have rallied behind Trump. However, recently, several have broken ranks and urged the President to concede to victory.
