Some Trump officials are stealthily reaching out to Biden's transition team
Behind the scenes, some current and former members of the Trump administration are contacting members of President-elect Joe Biden's transition team, keeping their overtures quiet and informal due to President Trump's refusal to concede the election, several people with knowledge of the matter told CNN.
The General Services Administration has yet to ascertain the election, which triggers the formal transition and gives the Biden team funding and access to federal agencies. One current Trump administration official told CNN that to make up for a lack of formal briefings, several colleagues are carefully reaching out to Biden's transition members, making sure that they don't reveal anything "that would get us in trouble. Just an offer to be of help. They know what we mean, and what we can and can't do or say."
Kate Bedingfield, the Biden campaign's deputy campaign manager and a transition adviser, told CNN it takes "more than former officials choosing to step forward and be helpful to ensure a smooth transition of power. GSA should follow the law and ascertain the results of the election so that Americans get a smooth and effective hand off between administrations." Read more at CNN.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The 8 best action movies of the 21st centurythe week recommends Thrills come in many forms, from assassins and spies to regular people fighting for justice
-
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein: a TimelineIN DEPTH The alleged relationship between deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump has become one of the most acute threats to the president’s power
-
‘Latinos bring a wealth of knowledge and cultural connection to the ocean’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
UN Security Council backs Trump’s Gaza peace planSpeed Read The United Nations voted 13-0 to endorse President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza
-
Chile picks leftist, far-right candidates for runoff voteSpeed Read The presidential runoff election will be between Jeannette Jara, a progressive from President Gabriel Boric’s governing coalition, and far-right former congressman José Antonio Kast
-
Venezuela mobilizes as top US warship nearsSpeed Read The largest and most advanced US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has entered the Caribbean and put Venezuela on high alert
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Gaza ceasefire teeters as Netanyahu orders strikesSpeed Read Israel accused Hamas of firing on Israeli troops
-
Argentina’s Milei buoyed by regional election winsSpeed Read Argentine President Javier Milei is an ally of President Trump, receiving billions of dollars in backing from his administration
-
Proposed Trump-Putin talks in Budapest on holdSpeed Read Trump apparently has no concrete plans to meet with Putin for Ukraine peace talks
