The Trump White House has asked all political appointees to submit their resignations by President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
The request was made in a memo sent Thursday by deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell, according to a report by Politico. Political staff were asked to submit a letter of resignation no later than noon on Jan. 20, so as to allow Biden to start filling positions immediately upon taking office.
The Trump administration has asked all of its political appointees to submit resignation letters by Inauguration Day, taking a step to clear the way for Biden to start filling the government with his own staff as soon as he enters the White House https://t.co/zJF0rQlZtA
— POLITICO (@politico) January 7, 2021
The memo from Liddell, who has been coordinating the Trump team’s transition, included resignation letter templates and was sent to Cabinet and executive agency heads for distribution to their staffs, Politico reported.
“As we prepare for a transition of power, we must take appropriate measures to ensure this is done in an orderly manner,” the memo read. (RELATED: Pence’s Chief Of Staff Marc Short Says He Was Denied Entry Back Into The White House)
Early preparation of resignation letters is a standard practice of White House transitions but is typically done weeks or months, not days, in advance, according to Politico. Some staffers reportedly raised the issue as early as December but were prevented from acting.