“DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE”, TRUMP TELLS HIS TEAM TO COOPERATE WITH TRANSITION

Wed 24 November 2020:

Since Election Day, the Trump campaign and its allies have lost least 30 cases brought in an effort to overturn the results of the election, according to an ABC News count.

On Monday, in a sign that he might be realising that he must leave the White House on 20 January, he said he had given Emily Murphy, the head of the General Services Administration (GSA), the go-ahead to proceed with a transition for Mr Biden’s administration.

The president said the federal agency overseeing the handover must “do what needs to be done”, even as he vowed to keep contesting his election defeat.

“Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same,” Trump said in a tweet.

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

Biden transition official Yohannes Abraham also reacted to the news, calling the decision “a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”

The General Services Administration (GSA) said it was acknowledging President-elect Biden as the “apparent winner”.

It came as Biden’s victory in the state of Michigan was officially certified, a major blow to Trump.