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US President-elect Joe Biden and his future Vice President Kamala Harris: Stones on the way to the White House
Photo:
JONATHAN ERNST / REUTERS
The US President-elect Joe Biden has sharply criticized the outgoing administration of Donald Trump.
The American security authorities were "hollowed out" under Trump and insufficient information was provided to his transition team, said Biden.
That is an "irresponsibility".
After meeting with his foreign policy team, Biden said blockades had been encountered in the tours of the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget.
"We are currently not getting the information we need from the outgoing administration in important areas," said Biden.
Enemies could take advantage of possible ambiguities
Biden warned that his team needed "full visibility" into the Department of Defense budget processes in order to avoid any confusion that potential enemies might try to exploit.
Some of the authorities had suffered enormous damage under Trump, which made it more difficult to protect the American people, Biden said.
It is not the first time since his election victory that Biden has been blocked by Trump on his way to the White House.
Since the election, Trump has refused to admit defeat.
The incumbent US president blocked the transition process for weeks before the change of government.
Transition process only since the end of November
Only a decision by the responsible authority GSA at the end of November had the so-called Presidential Transition started.
Biden will take office on January 20th.
The orderly handover of official business after a presidential election is enshrined in law.
The goal is to ensure that Americans can always count on having a functioning government.
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While Joe Biden is preparing to take office, Donald Trump spends a lot of time on a golf course in Florida
Photo: MARCO BELLO / REUTERS
Biden also announced that he would make amends in relation to international allies.
There is currently a "huge vacuum";
the future government must regain the confidence of a world "that has begun to find ways to work around us or to work without us," Biden said.
"We will regain our credibility to lead the free world."
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hba / Reuters / dpa