In parallel with the final announcement of the results of the presidential election of November 3, this is the subject that crystallizes all the attention in the United States: how will the handover between a Donald Trump always reluctant to admit his defeat, and Joe Biden, newly elected and whose inauguration is scheduled for January 20?
The United States national security adviser appeared on Monday, November 16, to clear the ground by promising a smooth transition to the Biden administration. Robert O’Brien, told a virtual conference at the Global Security Forum that the country had “Peaceful and successful transitions even in the most contentious periods”, and showed positive signs when Joe Biden’s nomination:
“If it is determined that the Biden-Harris ticket is the winner, and obviously it appears to be the case now, we will have a very professional transition on the part of the National Security Council, there is no doubt about that. “
Out of step with President Trump, Mr. O’Brien also claimed that Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, had “Very professional people” in their team, able to take over the reins. “They deserve to have a little time to arrive and implement their policies”, he added.
Mr. O’Brien, a longtime Republican lawyer, also appeared to acknowledge the election results by referring to efforts to free Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria. “We are doing everything we can to get Austin back, he said. The president would like to see him back before he leaves his post. “
Biden’s warning
By refusing to acknowledge his electoral defeat, Donald Trump is raising concerns and breaking with the tradition according to which the elected president is brought to be included, at least as an observer, in the major decisions of the transition period at the White House .
The agency that manages the federal bureaucracy – the General Services Administration – refuses to certify its victory, which deprives Joe Biden of classified information classified as defense secret and of the means to prepare for the handover.
The new president-elect thus warned, on Monday, of a risk of additional deaths from Covid-19 if Donald Trump and his government refused to coordinate with the Democratic team called on to ensure the transition.
Without consultation between the two teams, “More people may die”, warned Mr. Biden, citing in particular the urgency to prepare the distribution of vaccines as soon as they are available.
“If we have to wait until January 20 to start planning, that puts us behind a month, a month and a half”, assured Mr. Biden, who was speaking from his stronghold in Wilmington, Delaware. “And it is so crucial that this coordination begins now … Now or as quickly as possible”, he insisted.
Our selection of articles on the presidential election in the United States
Find the campaign chronicles of our correspondent in Washington here.
On the election:
And also :
