President Donald Trump’s order for the government to begin the transition process for President-Elect Joe Biden does not mean he has conceded the election, Trump argued in a tweet Tuesday.
Trump ordered the General Services Administration (GSA) to “do what needs to be done” to begin the transition process Monday, a move widely perceived as a concession that he lost the election. Trump is now adding qualifiers to his order, saying the GSA is not in control of who is in the White House after Jan. 20.
“Remember, the GSA has been terrific, and Emily Murphy has done a great job, but the GSA does not determine who the next President of the United States will be,” Trump wrote.
Remember, the GSA has been terrific, and Emily Murphy has done a great job, but the GSA does not determine who the next President of the United States will be.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2020
Lisa Murphy, who runs the GSA, wrote a letter to Biden officially beginning the transition Monday, in which she explained the delay. (RELATED: GOP Reportedly Plans To Block Certain Biden Cabinet Picks, Dems May Offer ‘Sacrificial Lamb’)
“Unfortunately, the statute provides no procedures or standards for this process, so I looked to precedent from prior elections involving legal challenges and incomplete counts,” Murphy wrote. “GSA does not dictate the outcome of legal disputes and recounts, nor does it determine whether such proceedings are reasonable or justified.”
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has also reportedly told staff not to go out of their way to assist the transition process Tuesday. Trump has ongoing litigation challenging the results of the election in a number of states. He and his campaign filed numerous lawsuits in the days after Election Day, but none have so far succeeded and the challenges are dwindling.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed in a press conference last week that Trump would not concede until all of his legal challenges are exhausted.
Biden for his part has already announced nominees for top cabinet positions, including secretary of state, U.N. ambassador and national security adviser.