PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — President-elect Joe Biden said the Pentagon is blocking his transition team’s access in a way that may endanger national security.
Biden said his team received exemplary co-operation from some federal agencies, but not the U.S. Department of Defense.
“We encountered obstruction from the political leadership of that department,” he said.
He said the U.S. Office of Management and Budget is also withholding essential information, creating a potentially dangerous situation.
“It’s nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility,” he said. “My team needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies.
“We need full visibility into the budget planning underway at the Defense Department and other agencies in order to avoid any window of confusion or catchup that our adversaries may try to exploit.”
Speaking from The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden said the departments his team has consulted with are “hollowed out” and in disrepair.
“Many of the agencies that are critical to our security have incurred enormous damage,” he continued. “Many of them have been hollowed out in personnel, capacity, and in morale.”
He said repairing that damage will be a key challenge.
He also promised an early investment in foreign aid and diplomacy on issues ranging from climate change to trade. Another priority is fixing what he calls a “humanitarian disaster on our southern border,” caused by the Trump administration’s failure to hear asylum cases.