Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition of power

On Tuesday, Susie Wiles, the incoming White House chief of staff selected by President-elect Donald Trump, announced that the Trump transition team had signed an agreement with the Joe Biden White House to formally begin the transition of power, per Fox News. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Biden administration would allow cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations.

"After completing the selection process of his incoming Cabinet, President-elect Trump is entering the next phase of his administration's transition by executing a Memorandum of Understanding with President Joe Biden's White House," Wiles wrote in a statement. "This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams of every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power."



The Trump transition stated that landing teams would "quickly integrate directly into federal agencies and departments with access to documents and policy sharing." The Biden administration would be informed of the members of those landing parties.

Furthermore, the press release stated that the transition will not utilize taxpayer funding for transition-related expenses or government facilities provided by the Government Services Administration. It is unclear who is financing Trump's preparations to take office in January, as the transition has not yet disclosed its donors. However, this is expected to change as the announcement stated that donors would be disclosed to the public and that foreign donations would not be accepted.

The transition has "an existing Ethics Plan for those involved, which will meet the requirements for personnel to seamlessly move into the Trump Administration. Pursuant to the Transition Enhancement Act, that Ethics Plan will be posted to the website of the General Services Administration website," the press release stated.