Two weeks after his election victory, President-elect Donald Trump still has not signed legal documents needed to formally begin the transition of power from the Biden administration, the White House said Thursday.
Trump has not agreed to memorandums of understanding with the General Service Administration, which includes an ethics policy.
The delay in submitting the documents – which typically are filed at least a month before presidential elections – means the government can’t provide security clearances, briefings and resources to Trump’s incoming team before the president-elect is sworn into office on Jan. 20.
“Our teams continue to stay in touch,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing. “As of now, the Trump-Vance transition team has not yet entered into the agreements with the White House and the General Service Administration.”
Trump and incoming Chief of Staff Susie Wiles met with President Joe Biden and his Chief of Staff Jeff Zients in the Oval Office last week. Jean-Pierre said Zients has since reached out to the Trump transition’s co-chairs, Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, and “consistently reiterated” wanting to work together to ensure they have what they need.
“We’re going to continue to engage with the Trump transition team to ensure that we do have that efficient, effective transition of power,” Jean-Pierre said, adding the White House and administration “stand ready to provide assistance and access to services and information” outlined in the unsigned agreements.