Former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta said the Trump administration’s refusal to embrace a transfer of power is undermining presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden’s ability to prepare their coronavirus plans.
Mr. Podesta, who served under President Clinton and then as a counselor to President Obama, said on CNN Friday that President Trump’s is impeding the Biden transition and said “this is dangerous for the American people.”
“As each day wears on their ability to plan for coronavirus intervention is delayed and slowed down,” Mr. Podesta said.
Mr. Podesta said the Biden transition team is being denied the clear lines of communication with the Department of Defense, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mr. Podesta said it marks a stark departure from the Obama transition in 2008 when former President George W. Bush’s team worked “hand in glove” with the incoming president, and took aim at GOP lawmakers for not calling on Mr. Trump to concede.
“The congressional Republicans are really kind of pathetic,” he said. “Finally a few of them have come out and said he ought to at least have access to intelligence.”
“But when will Mitch McConnell break? when will people do an intervention?” Mr. Podesta said. “When are they going to go down there and say he has got to give up? I don’t know. I don’t have a lot of hope for that.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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