President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday introduced key national security and foreign policy nominees for his incoming White House Cabinet, moving forward with the traditional transition process as President Trump still has yet to formally admit defeat.
The Biden team released a list of names on Monday, including Antony Blinken to head the U.S. State Department and Alejandro Mayorkas as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The group joined Biden in his announcement on Tuesday.
Biden hailed the group in his introduction.
“While this team has unmatched experience and accomplishments, they also reflect the idea that we cannot meet these challenges with old thinking and unchanged habits,” he said.
Biden referenced that his nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, would be the first woman to lead the intelligence community if confirmed. Mayorkas would be the first Latino and immigrant in charge of DHS.
NPR has also reported that Biden intends to nominate former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to head the Treasury Department. If confirmed, Yellen would be the first woman to lead the agency.
Biden’s announcement comes just a day after the General Services Administration formally ascertained his victory over President Trump.
Trump has still yet to admit defeat in the race, tweeting on Monday: “Our case STRONGLY continues” in reference to his campaign’s attempts to overturn the election results, falsely claiming widespread voter fraud.
I want to thank Emily Murphy at GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country. She has been harassed, threatened, and abused – and I do not want to see this happen to her, her family, or employees of GSA. Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
With the GSA’s ascertainment of Biden’s victory, his transition team now has access to funds and critical information related to public health and national security.
