Russell Vought, the Trump administration’s budget director, defended his desk’s handling of president-elect’s requests on Thursday Joe Biden
Joe BidenBidens honors frontline workers in NYE’s address: ‘We owe them, we owe them, we owe them’ Trump hotel in DC raises room rates for inauguration Biden Video shows long lines on last day of early vote in Georgia MORE and his aides, who have complained in recent days that top Trump officials are obstructing the transition process.
In a letter to the head of the transition, Vought claimed that Biden’s team had made “several false statements” about the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) lack of cooperation and rejected the idea that the agency should work with Biden -assists in developing budget or policy proposals.
“As the record shows, OMB has participated fully in appropriate transition efforts,” Vought wrote. “What we have not done and will not do is use the current OMB staff to write the BTT’s legislative policy proposals to dismantle the work of this government.”
“OMB employees are working on the policies of this administration and will do so until the last day of this administration,” Vought continued. “Diverting staff and resources to prepare your team’s budget proposals is not a transition responsibility for OMB.”
A spokesman for the Biden transition argued that parts of Vought’s letter supported the president-elect’s arguments by confirming that OMB is not interested in partnering with the Biden team on the agenda.
“In this moment of unprecedented crisis, in which millions of American families are experiencing terrible economic setbacks, it is indefensible to uphold the US government’s ability to create a budget and provide efficient assistance to those who need it most. particularly from explicit, stated bias, ”Andrew Bates said in a statement.
Bates said OMB’s position “runs counter to how OMB has functioned during every presidential transition for decades.”
An OMB spokesman said earlier this week that the agency rejected just two requests from the Biden transition team – that they “derail” the construction of the border wall and draft the president-elect’s budget proposal.
OMB staff held more than 45 meetings with members of the Biden transition team, Vought wrote, briefing transition officials on Operation Warp Speed and other coronavirus pandemic relief efforts and providing information on ongoing programs.
“In addition, it was reported last week that your team has access to these critical documents,” Vought wrote.
Vought’s letter is the latest escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and the Biden team amid a difficult transition period. President Trump
Donald Trump Trump hotel in DC raises room rates for inauguration Biden GOP lawmaker criticizes Trump colleagues for ‘discrediting’ election Video shows long lines on last day of early Georgia vote MORE has refused to accept the election results, insisting that the outcome was “falsified” despite a string of losses in court.
Biden and his team have over the past few days singled out the Pentagon and OMB as agencies that have set up roadblocks, making it more difficult to prepare to take office next month.
“It’s nothing short of irresponsibility in my opinion,” Biden said Monday.
Yohannes Abraham, the transition’s executive director, said during a briefing with reporters on Wednesday that the agencies’ review teams have dealt with “impediment to political leadership” at the Pentagon and the OMB.
In previous transitions, the OMB has provided analytical support to incoming administrations to help them implement policy priorities and prepare a budget proposal.
“That analytical support has not been received from OMB, and there are no signs that it will come in the next few days,” said Abraham.
Updated at 5:35 PM