Advertisement

Trump news - live: President admits defeat and orders transition process

President-elect Joe Biden with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris participate in a virtual meeting with the United States Conference of Mayors at the Queen in Wilmington, Delaware, on 23 November, 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)
President-elect Joe Biden with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris participate in a virtual meeting with the United States Conference of Mayors at the Queen in Wilmington, Delaware, on 23 November, 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)

Donald Trump finally ordered the transition to begin “in the best interests of our country.”

Mr Trump took to Twitter to say that he was continuing his fight over the election but that he had given GSA head Emily Murphy permission to work with Mr Biden’s team.

As Michigan certifies its election results and awards its electors to Joe Biden, the president-elect has pushed ahead with his transition plans despite the lack of cooperation from the current administration.

Mr Biden has named a host of nominees to national security roles, including Antony Blinken as the next US secretary of state as he prepares to undo Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy.

It was also revealed that Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen will be nominated to be the first female secretary of the Treasury. Mr Biden looks set to fulfill his promise to appoint many women into senior positions, including as head of intelligence, UN ambassador, and potentially several other roles.

In other news, Stephen Schwarzman, one of Mr Trump’s closest allies, has said the election is over and the president must “move on”.

The businessman, who is chief executive of The Blackstone Group, urged Mr Trump to accept he has lost and allow the Biden team the resources necessary to transition into the White House.

He told news website Axios he was a “fan of good process” and “the country should move on” as the outcome of the 3 November vote was “very certain today”.

More than 100 former Republican national security officials have also signed a letter demanding party leaders denounce Donald Trump's refusal to concede the presidential election, labelling it a dangerous and anti-democratic assault on US institutions.

Meanwhile, first lady Melania Trump took delivery of the Trumps’ last White House Christmas tree, as two turkeys named Corn and Cob rest up in a downtown DC hotel ahead of the traditional Thanksgiving presidential pardon tomorrow.