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This week, the US General Services Administration declared Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election. Now President Trump has permitted his team to commence critical transition practices including daily security briefings and pandemic management information sharing. President Trump has still not officially conceded and is continuing court battles though no legal challenges have gotten a foothold so far and signs point to a smooth Electoral College process on 14 December.
The hold-ups in the transition have not stopped the Biden team from moving forward. He has locked in key positions which do not require Congressional approval, including Chief of Staff Ron Klain and former Presidential candidate and Secretary of State John Kerry in a newly created role of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
His initial administration appointments requiring Congressional approval include:
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken – former Deputy Secretary of State from the Obama administration and top aide to Biden on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas – former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from the Obama administration. If appointed he will be the first Latino in the position which oversees border control
- Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines – former Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the CIA under President Obama. If appointed, she will be the first woman to hold this role
- Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield – former US Ambassador to Liberia and Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs
The Centre will be providing updates throughout the presidential transition. To read up on what policy changes to expect under a Biden administration, check out the United States Studies Centre (USSC) Blue book.
