On Monday, the General Services Administration notified President-elect Joe Biden that the Trump administration is ready to begin the transition process.
The letter, sent to Biden by GSA chief Emily Murphy to Biden on Monday, comes more than two weeks after Biden was projected the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
Although President Donald Trump has not yet conceded, the letter is the first step taken by the administration to acknowledge Biden’s victory.
Murphy, who was appointed by Trump, previously delayed the transition process, citing the need for a “clear winner.”
She said Monday that she was not pressured by the White House to delay the process.
“Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts,” Murphy wrote. “I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision. To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination.”
The crucial step will enable Biden to have access to $6.3 million in funding, office space, and classified intelligence briefings.
“I have determined that you may access the post-election resources and services described in Section 3 of the Act upon request,” Murphy wrote. “The actual winner of the presidential election will be determined by the electoral process detailed in the Constitution.”
Although the official transition process has been delayed, Biden has moved ahead with selecting members of his Cabinet.
Cuban-born Alejandro Mayorkas has been tapped to head the Department of Homeland Security and would be the first-ever Latino to hold the position, and nominee Avril Haines would be the first female Director of National Intelligence.
Trump tweeted moments after the letter was sent, thanking Murphy for her work and recommending she do what “needs to be done” in the best interest of the country.
Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times, pointed out that Murphy never addressed Biden as the presidential-elect in the letter.
Biden transition head Yohannes Abraham responded to the letter in a a statement, saying the administration would now be provided with the resources to allow a smooth transition.
“In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”
