State Dept tells staff: transition to Biden administration has begun

WASHINGTON: The US State Department has informed staff that the transition process has begun and a team had been assigned inside the agency to support a handover to the incoming Biden administration, according to an internal email seen by foreign media. The guidelines, sent on Wednesday, came after the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency that must sign off on presidential transitions, notified President-elect Joe Biden on Monday that he could formally begin the handover. “Following the November 3 election, representatives of President-elect Biden’s Transition Team have arrived at the Department of State to support preparations for the transition,” the email said. A “dedicated” team would support Biden’s transition team to ensure they receive the necessary information and logistical support, the email said. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.