Biden: Trump aides setting 'roadblocks' for his transition team

[webfact]

Biden: Trump aides setting 'roadblocks' for his transition team

By Simon Lewis and Matt Spetalnick

 

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden delivers a speech after a conference video call focused on foreign policy at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., December 28, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WILMINGTON, Del./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden said on Monday many of America's security agencies had been "hollowed out" under President Donald Trump and the lack of information being provided to his transition team by the outgoing administration was an "irresponsibility."

 

"We've encountered roadblocks from the political leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget," Biden said after a meeting with his foreign policy team.

 

"Right now we just aren't getting all of the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. It's nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility," he added.

 

After Biden beat Trump in the Nov. 3 election, the Democrat’s team only began meeting with administration officials in late November to coordinate the handover.

 

Trump, a Republican, has refused to concede defeat and his administration only authorized cooperation with Biden on Nov. 23. Biden takes office on Jan. 20.

 

Earlier this month, Biden's team said they had met resistance to requests for information from some Pentagon officials.

 

The Pentagon pushed back. A senior defense official last week said that the Pentagon had conducted 163 interviews and 181 requests for information and that it would continue to provide information and meetings.

 

But Biden reiterated his team's concerns on Monday. When he takes office, he will inherit a wide range of foreign policy and national security challenges, including China, Iran and North Korea, as well as the coronavirus pandemic raging across the globe.

 

One of his toughest tasks will be rebuilding U.S. alliances that have frayed under four years of Trump's "America First" agenda.

 

"My team needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies," Biden said. "We need full visibility to the budget planning under way at the Defense Department and other agencies in order to avoid any window of confusion or catch up that our adversaries may try to exploit."

 

But Biden said his team, while securing cooperation from some federal agencies, had "encountered obstruction from the political leadership" at the Pentagon.

 

"And the truth is that many of the agencies that are crucial to our security have incurred enormous damage. Many of them have been hollowed out – in personnel, capacity and in morale," he said. "There’s policy processes that have atrophied or have been sidelined to the despair of our alliances."

 

(Reporting by Simon Lewis in Wilmington, Delaware, and Matt Spetalnick and Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-29

 

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[RJRS1301]

I have no doubt the "roadblocks" are the "brainchild" of the current incumbent, possibly to impede matters, so he can continue to snipe (like a spolied brat) from the sidelines after he is removed from office offically

[Jeffr2]

53 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

I have no doubt the "roadblocks" are the "brainchild" of the current incumbent, possibly to impede matters, so he can continue to snipe (like a spolied brat) from the sidelines after he is removed from office offically

He just had the doc fired who complained about his drive by while he was in the hospital.  What a small, small man.  Jan 20th can't come fast enough.  Stunning anyone still supports this traitor.

[Tug]

Imo part of it is pure spite against joe Biden and the American electorate and quite possibly he’s trying to cover up his tracks

[Jeffr2]

5 minutes ago, Tug said:

Imo part of it is pure spite against joe Biden and the American electorate and quite possibly he’s trying to cover up his tracks

It's been suggested it's just a continuation of his battle against the elite, the deep state government, the system, etc, etc, etc.  All to keep his base riled up and donating to him.  Plus, he loves his name in the headlines. 

 

What a horrible leader.

[Thailand]

I guess Joe can at least ensure that those putting up the roadblocks get their just reward when he finally takes office. Not long now!

[RJRS1301]

7 hours ago, Thailand said:

I guess Joe can at least ensure that those putting up the roadblocks get their just reward when he finally takes office. Not long now!

One hopes Biden and his groups are less spiteful than the current incumbent, they are following orders of [Trump] I would think, that is if he knows and understands what they actually do ( that in itself would be a miracle)

Edited December 29, 2020 by onthedarkside
name calling reference removed

[Tug]

9 minutes ago, Thailand said:

I guess Joe can at least ensure that those putting up the roadblocks get their just reward when he finally takes office. Not long now!

I don’t think that’s the way he works but I’m sure he will do his best to kill their influence a sad state of affairs imo

[Dumbastheycome]

I wonder if  Trump's remaining  enablers ever stop to consider a history of people not being paid  for services rendered and the retribution for asking for it ?

[spidermike007]

Trump is not man enough to accept the loss, and neither are these protestors, over a hundred congress members who joined that ridiculous lawsuit, and many millions of his supporters who are continuing to drink the Kool aid, insisting that Trump won, and that the election was rigged. 
 
Man up. Grow up. Deal with it. Trump lost again. Plain and simple. He lost 17 businesses. He lost 19 merchandising deals while in office. He lost all his clout, when it comes to management deals with his name on them. He lost the trade war with China, and the negotiations with Kim. Now, he lost the election.

 

What part of him being a loser does Trump and his supporters not understand? 

[Rimmer]

An unattributed post and replies has been removed, along with a Hitler trolling post.

[Kelsall]

Political payback for the "Russian Collusion" stuff.  Expect more of it.

[Jeffr2]

7 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Political payback for the "Russian Collusion" stuff.  Expect more of it.

And expect payback from Biden for this.  Can't wait till Jan 21st.  It's going to be fun.

[Kelsall]

4 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

And expect payback from Biden for this.  Can't wait till Jan 21st.  It's going to be fun.

Biden himself?  You gotta be kidding me!  ????????????

[Bluespunk]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

But Biden said his team, while securing cooperation from some federal agencies, had "encountered obstruction from the political leadership" at the Pentagon.

Guess some people better start on updating their CVs. 

[Eric Loh]

1 minute ago, Kelsall said:

Biden himself?  You gotta be kidding me!  ????????????

Haven't you heard the good news that Biden will not interfere with DOJ investigation even for former President. 

[OneMoreFarang]

Trump wouldn't get away with this if the GOP politicians would grow a spine. But obviously most of them are not willing to put the interest of the USA in front of their personal or party interests. What a bunch of pathetic losers.

[Jeffr2]

2 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Guess some people better start on updating their CVs. 

From what I've read, many have already left.  They have accepted Trump's loss.  Sad he hasn't.

[Jeffr2]

3 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Biden himself?  You gotta be kidding me!  ????????????

Nope, not Biden.  But one of the fine cabinet members he's hiring.  Luckily, not a band of criminals and enablers like Trump hired.  So much for always hiring the best.

[ExpatOK]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Trump wouldn't get away with this if the GOP politicians would grow a spine. But obviously most of them are not willing to put the interest of the USA in front of their personal or party interests. What a bunch of pathetic losers.

You mean Biden wouldn't get away with this if ...

Edited December 29, 2020 by ExpatOK

[RJRS1301]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Trump is not man enough to accept the loss, and neither are these protestors, over a hundred congress members who joined that ridiculous lawsuit, and many millions of his supporters who are continuing to drink the Kool aid, insisting that Trump won, and that the election was rigged. 
 
Man up. Grow up. Deal with it. Trump lost again. Plain and simple. He lost 17 businesses. He lost 19 merchandising deals while in office. He lost all his clout, when it comes to management deals with his name on them. He lost the trade war with China, and the negotiations with Kim. Now, he lost the election.

 

What part of him being a loser does Trump and his supporters not understand? 

Oh Spider, you are so harsh on the "person", wil not call him a man, if he was one he would at some time in his lifetaken some  responsibility for his myriad of abject failures from business to to politics.

Surely the cult followers at some stage have to wake to this fulltime non successful person 

 

[Sujo]

22 minutes ago, ExpatOK said:

You mean Biden wouldn't get away with this if ...

Why would biden rely on gop trump enablers.

[RJRS1301]

Will the party become "the not so GOP"??

Edited December 29, 2020 by RJRS1301

[Tug]

39 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

Biden himself?  You gotta be kidding me!  ????????????

Oh no president Biden has much more important things to do than go after a failed ex president that’s the doj,s job and I’m sure they are just licking their chops oh boy oh boy old donalds gonna reap what he’s sown 

[Jeffr2]

Just now, Tug said:

Oh no president Biden has much more important things to do than go after a failed ex president that’s the doj,s job and I’m sure they are just licking their chops oh boy oh boy old donalds gonna reap what he’s sown 

Hopefully Biden will hire a good AG who will do the investigations as recommended by the Mueller report.

[Tropposurfer]

So the Pentagon is dually run by the administration civil servants and the military is that correct?  So, if this "obstruction" is real and present and pre-meditated then I would say that this amounts to treason. What do you say?

[Dumbastheycome]

5 minutes ago, Tug said:

Oh no president Biden has much more important things to do than go after a failed ex president that’s the doj,s job and I’m sure they are just licking their chops oh boy oh boy old donalds gonna reap what he’s sown 

Given that Biden has affirmed he will not "interfere" with actions taken by the DOJ certainly does not rule out some severe raking through the  *hit pile in due course.

[Anant72]

5 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

It's been suggested it's just a continuation of his battle against the elite, the deep state government, the system, etc, etc, etc.  All to keep his base riled up and donating to him.  Plus, he loves his name in the headlines. 

 

What a horrible leader.

He is no leader. Just a posse head dog.

[placeholder]

It's clear that this report is a lie. Next thing you know, they'll be telling us that President Trump is raising all kinds of fraudulent charges to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential election.

[RJRS1301]

9 minutes ago, placeholder said:

It's clear that this report is a lie. Next thing you know, they'll be telling us that President Trump is raising all kinds of fraudulent charges to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential election.

sarcasm alert for those who need it