Secret Service agents have reportedly been asked to transfer to Florida to guard outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump after he leaves office. According to ABC News, sources familiar with the situation, active agents are being asked if they would be open to transferring to Palm Beach, Florida to guard Trump after his term as President is over on Jan. 20.
Additionally, Miami field office for the the Secret Service has reportedly started considering physical reinforcement options for Mar-a-Largo, the president’s personal club, which he the sources stated he refers to as “the winter White House.” Notably, the Secret Service is making all of these arrangements in an unofficial capacity, as Trump has not yet conceded the 2020 Presidential election to President-elect Joe Biden. When ABC News contacted the Secret Service to inquire about the claims, a spokesperson said: “For operational security reasons, the Secret Service does not discuss specifically or in general terms the means, methods or resources we utilize to carry out our protective mission.”
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While Trump has yet to acknowledge Biden’s win publicly, the General Services Administration has reportedly advised the president-elect that the current administration is ready to begin the transition of power process. The department had initially delayed the process, seemingly due to Trump contesting the outcome.In a letter sent by the agency’s administrator, Emily Murphy, the Trump-appointee stated that she did not begin the process right way “out of fear or favoritism.”
“Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts,” she added, per CNN, “I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision. To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination.”
Biden’s team has since issued comments on the movie, with Yohannes Abraham โ executive director of Biden’s transition โ saying that the start of the transition was a “needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.” he added, “This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies.” Abraham continued, “In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”