Trump still hasn't signed agreements to begin transition of power, White House says
Joey GarrisonWASHINGTON — 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 understandings 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 Jan. 20.
"Our teams continue to stay in touch," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at aa 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."
More:Trump makes a statement with aggressive Cabinet picks, fast-moving transition effort
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.
More:Did Matt Gaetz resign from Congress? What to know after he backs out of Trump's AG role
Brian Hughes, a spokesman for Trump's transition team, told USA TODAY the president-elect's lawyers "continue to constructively engage with the Biden-Harris Administration lawyers regarding all agreements contemplated by the Presidential Transition Act," referring to the law governing the executive branch handoffs.
"We will update you once a decision is made," Hughes said.
Trump's transition team did not provide an explanation for the president-elect not signing the transition agreements.
CNN reported Trump has concerns about the mandatory ethics pledge in the memorandums of understanding that includes avoiding conflicts of interest in the Whit House.
Ahead of the Nov. 5 election, Democratic U.S. Jamie Raskin of Maryland raised alarm over Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance's refusal to sign off on transition documents with the GSA, as outlined in the 2010 Pre-Election Presidential Act.
“Breaking the precedent set by every other presidential candidate since 2010, you have rejected these resources and refused to commit to a smooth transition," Rasksin, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, wrote to Trump and Vance in an Oct. 23 letter.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., accused Trump of "already breaking the law" in a post last week on X. "I would know because I wrote the law. Incoming presidents are required to prevent conflicts of interest and sign an ethics agreement. This is what illegal corruption looks like.
Despite not formalizing the transition of power, Trump has moved aggressively to assemble members of his next White House staff and Cabinet. In another break from the norm, Trump's Cabinet nominees aren't getting FBI background checks, the Washington Post reported.
Trump's nominee for attorney general, former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, withdrew from consideration Thursday amid fallout from an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation into sexual assault allegations.
Contributing: Zac Anderson. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
