The Department of Defense on Monday said it would begin “immediately” working with the incoming Biden administration to support the presidential transition becoming among the first government agencies for formally begin cooperating with President-elect Joe Biden’s team after a Trump-appointed administrator stalled transition.
“We will begin immediately implementing our plan to provide support in accordance with the White House and the Biden-Harris team,” the Defense Department wrote in a statement issued late Monday.
The news comes as the head of the General Services Administration, Emily Murphy, on Monday finally took the first steps to green light the start of a formal transition after previously depriving the incoming team of access to key resources needed for a successful transition.
“The DOD Transition Task Force will arrange and coordinate all DOD contact with the Biden-Harris team,” the statement said. “DOD is prepared to provide post-election services and support in a professional, orderly, and efficient manner that is befitting of the public’s expectation of the Department and our commitment to national security.”
Biden made a series of announcements for top jobs in his administration on Monday, but has not yet formally said who will serve as his defense secretary.
The official selected for that role will be tasked with rebuilding confidence in the stability of a department that under Trump has been marred by a series of departures in recent months in addition to President Trump’s decision to fire his fourth defense secretary Mark Esper in an effort to weed out those who have not proven to be loyalists to his whims.