Do what needs to be done: President Donald Trump clears way for Joe Biden's transition
Washington: US President Donald Trump has accepted that the transition process should formally start for President-elect Joe Biden to take office.
Trump said the federal agency overseeing the handover must "do what needs to be done".
The General Services Administration (GSA) said it was acknowledging Biden as the "apparent winner", reports BBC.
Giving a blow to Trump, his rival Biden's victory in the state of Michigan has been officially certified.
The Biden team welcomed the start of the transition process as the Democratic president-elect gears up to be sworn in on 20 January, reports BBC.
I want to thank Emily Murphy at GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country. She has been harassed, threatened, and abused – and I do not want to see this happen to her, her family, or employees of GSA. Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
Meanwhile, Trump tweeted: "Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good...fight, and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same."
...fight, and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
Biden, meanwhile, has announced his national security and foreign policy team.
He nominated Antony Blinken for the post of Secretary of State.
Today, I’m announcing the first members of my national security and foreign policy team. They will rally the world to take on our challenges like no other—challenges that no one nation can face alone.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 23, 2020
It’s time to restore American leadership. I trust this group to do just that. pic.twitter.com/uKE5JG45Ts
At the same time, he also nominated the country's former Secretary of State John Kerry as special climate envoy.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.