President-elect Joe Biden’s transition continues as President Donald Trump attempts to overturn the U.S. election results.
On Monday, Biden held a meeting with labor leaders and the executives of major companies to discuss economic recovery. He had a meeting about threats facing the country with national security experts the next day.
He led a virtual roundtable with first responders this week to talk about the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Then, he met with Republican and Democratic governors to discuss state and federal coordination under his administration.
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris had a face-to-face meeting in Wilmington, Delaware, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti were appointed this week Biden's top advisors.
Moreover, younger Democratic leaders such as Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond and Biden’s 2020 campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, will also be involved in Biden's day-to-day activities.
The incoming president also announced this week on one of his Cabinet appointments, his Treasury secretary, although he did not mention the name.
Biden transition advisor Jen Psaki dismissed accusations from the left that his appointees have connections to the pharmaceutical industry and oil and gas sector. He said the president would form a team that mirrors his pledge to be a president for “all of the country,” and this includes Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
On the other hand, President Donald Trump still refused to concede the election. Trump met with a group of Republican legislators from Michigan at the White House.
Sources said that the Michigan lawmakers are the subject of Trump’s latest plan to remain in his position.
Coronavirus response
According to White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Trump administration must work with the Biden transition team on coronavirus response.
“It’s almost like passing a baton in a race,” Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview on “State of the Union.” “You don’t want to stop, and then give it to somebody, you want to just essentially keep going.”
Dr. Fauci said that the transition period is important. He believes that the process would be smoother if Donald Trump’s administration will work with the Biden transition team.
When asked if health authorities would benefit from cooperating with the Biden transition team, Dr. Fauci said, “Of course it would be better if we can start working with them.”
Ron Klain, chief of staff for president-elect Biden, said on Sunday that the delayed transition could affect the timing of the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The vaccine distribution may start as early as December and January, he said.
“Our experts need to talk to those people as soon as possible so nothing drops in this change of power we’re going to have on January 20th,” Klain told NBC’s Chuck Todd Sunday.
Despite the delay, President-elect Joe Biden Biden’s team has started working on their coronavirus response.
They will meet with drug companies developing Covid-19 vaccines, according to his chief of staff.
“We’re going to have meetings between our top scientific advisors and the officials of these drug companies,” Ron Klain, Biden’s newly selected chief of staff, said. Other leading companies with Covid-19 vaccine candidates in late-stage clinical trials include Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.
