Special counsel investigating Biden's handling of classified documents has completed probe, AG says
Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department special counsel investigating President Joe Bidenโs handling of classified documents has completed his inquiry and a report is expected to be made public soon.
Police say driver accidentally struck parked SUV in Biden's motorcade near campaign headquarters
Wilmington police say 46-year-old driver believed to be drunk accidentally plowed into a parked SUV that was guarding President Joe Bidenโs motorcade Sunday night while the president was leaving a visit to his campaign headquarters.
Biden says 'revitalized Palestinian Authority' should eventually govern Gaza and the West Bank
President Joe Biden says that achieving a cease-fire amid Israelโs war with Hamas โis not peaceโ and that an important key to lasting stability is a reunited Gaza Strip and West Bank that can be governed under โa revitalized Palestinian Authority.โ.
President Biden โdoing fineโ after multiple falls on Air Force Oneโs stairway, Today reports
AdWhite House officials told the Today Show that the president did not need any medical attention after the incident. According to a report by the Associated Press, on Friday, Biden was able to meet with leaders from Georgiaโs Asian-American and Pacific Islander community at Emory University in Atlanta. We cannot be complicit,โ Biden told the Associated Press. AdVice President Kamala Harris told the Associated Press that the race-related motive in the shooting is clear. Sexism, too,โ Harris told the Associated Press.
A good boy again: Bidenโs dog will return to the White House
FILE - This Nov. 16, 2018, photo, file provided by the Delaware Humane Association shows Joe Biden and his newly-adopted German shepherd Major, in Wilmington, Del. โ There is Major breaking news: President Joe Bidenโs wayward pup is no longer in the doghouse. The president said โthe dogโs being trained nowโ in Delaware but disputed the idea that the pup was sent away after the incident. He said the dogs went to Wilmington because the first couple was going to be out of town. I was going to be away for two, so we took him home.โAdThe dogs are the first pets to call the White House home since President Barack Obama departed in early 2017 with his pups Bo and Sunny.
Biden declines to call for Cuomo to resign, awaits probe
President Joe Biden speaks to the gathered media members upon arrival at the White House in Washington from a weekend trip to Wilmington, Del., Sunday, March 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON โ President Joe Biden on Sunday passed up an opportunity to join other Democrats calling for the resignation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is under investigation after multiple allegations of sexual harassment. However, his comments reflect the wait-and-see position the White House has taken regarding Cuomo's future. On Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki would not say whether Biden believes Cuomo should resign.
Police groups endorse Bidenโs pick for civil rights chief
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division nominee Kristen Clarke speaks during an event with President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON โ Some of the largest law enforcement groups in the U.S. are throwing their support behind President Joe Bidenโs nominee to run the Justice Departmentโs civil rights division. Other supporters also include the National Association of Police Organizations, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives and dozens of crime victims. As attorney general in the Obama administration, Eric Holder frequently criticized violent police confrontations and opened a series of civil rights investigations into local law enforcement practices. The civil rights investigations often ended with court-approved consent decrees that mandated reforms.
Biden's trade pick vows to work more closely with allies
FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo Katherine Tai, the Biden administration's choice totake overas the U.S. trade representative, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. President Joe Bidens pick to be the top U.S. trade envoy is promising to work with Americas allies to combat Chinas aggressive trade policies. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON โ President Joe Biden's pick to be the top U.S. trade envoy is promising to work with America's allies to combat China's aggressive trade policies, indicating a break from the Trump administration's go-it-alone approach. Fluent in Mandarin, Tai served several years as head of China enforcement at the trade representative's office. Far from working with allies on trade, Trump sparred with them instead, putting tariffs on imported steel and aluminum and threatening to target European cars, too.
Biden moves to reengage with Palestinians after Israel focus
FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2020, file photo President-elect Joe Biden listens as his Secretary of State nominee Tony Blinken speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. The State Department said Tuesday that a U.S. delegation attended a meeting of a Norwegian-run committee that serves as a clearinghouse for assistance to the Palestinians. Although little-known outside foreign policy circles, the so-called Ad Hoc Liaison Committee has been influential in the peace process since Israel and the Palestinians signed the Oslo Accords in 1993. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is close to Trump, has eschewed the two-state solution. The Trump administration had presented its own version of a two-state peace plan, though it would have required significant Palestinian concessions on territory and sovereignty.
Vilsack confirmed for 2nd stint as US agriculture secretary
FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON โ The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary, his second run at the Cabinet post. The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same Department of Agriculture for former President Barack Obama's entire administration. โWeโre going to be a USDA that represents and serves all Americans,โ Vilsack said after the vote. AdWith systemic racial inequity now a nationwide talking point, Vilsack also envisioned creating an โequity task forceโ inside the department.
Justice Department drops Yale admissions discrimination suit
FILE - In this May 24, 2010 file photo, future graduates wait for the procession to begin for commencement at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. The Biden Justice Department says it is dismissing its discrimination lawsuit against Yale University. On Feb. 3, 2021, the Justice Department noted in its filing that it was voluntarily dismissing the action. Federal prosecutors said the Justice Departmentโs underlying investigation, aimed at ensuring Yale complies with federal anti-discrimination laws, continues. The groupโs president, Kristen Clarke, is Bidenโs nominee to run the Justice Departmentโs civil rights divisionAdBidenโs Justice Department is working to undo Trump policies, including โzero tolerance,โ the immigration policy that was responsible for family separations.
Agriculture secretary nominee Vilsack endorses biofuels push
FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON โ Tom Vilsack, President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of agriculture, pledged Tuesday to focus on climate change initiatives and work to address racial inequities in agricultural assistance programs. Vilsack, who testified before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, would bring much on-the-job experience to the position. In addition to serving two terms as the governor of Iowa, he spent eight years as President Barack Obama's Agriculture Secretary. But if you donโt have a grocery store, what then?โAdVilsack seems to enjoy bipartisan support and faced no serious criticism from Republicans on the committee.
The Latest: Wet snow turns to sleet in northern New England
A sprawling, lumbering winter storm has walloped the Eastern U.S., shutting down coronavirus vaccination sites, closing schools and halting transit. In its second day in the Northeast, a snow storm left nearly 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow piled up in parts of New Hampshire. The Yale New Haven Health system, which runs several hospitals in southern Connecticut, said its vaccination sites were closed Tuesday and staff were contacting people to reschedule appointments. In New England, nearly 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow piled up in southeast New Hampshire, and the mountains were getting heavy snow as well. The National Weather Service reported 30 inches of snow fell in parts of Sussex and Morris counties on Monday.
Biden's pick for UN post calls China 'a strategic adversary'
United States Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield testifies during for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. Johnson asked her why she had said the United States is not in a new Cold War with China. โThis speech is cheerleading for the Chinese Communist Partyโ and makes no mention of Chinaโs human rights violations, he said. Johnson asked her what the stronger language and tougher tactics would be toward China. โAnd yet, I had an extraordinary 35-year career, that culminated as the assistant secretary of state of African affairs,โ Thomas-Greenfield said.
Biden's Commerce pick, Raimondo, voices tough line on China
Gina Raimondo testifies remotely during her nomination hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Gina Raimondo, a former venture capitalist, would be responsible for promoting opportunities for economic growth domestically and overseas. U.S. companies need to get a license to sell sophisticated technology to companies on the list. Raimondo promised to give the Census Bureau more time to crunch the numbers for the 2020 census if needed. โI believe we need to take the politics out of the census and we need to rely on the experts,โ Raimondo said.
Yellen's nomination as treasury secretary advances in Senate
President-elect Joe Biden announced Yellen as his nominee for Treasury Secretary. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)WASHINGTON โ The Senate Finance Committee approved President Joe Bidenโs nomination of Janet Yellen to be the nationโs 78th treasury secretary on Friday, setting up a final vote that would make her the first woman to hold the job. The Finance Committee approved her nomination on a 26-0 vote. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the incoming chair of the Finance Committee, said he hoped to get Yellen's nomination approved by the full Senate later Friday, but the vote was not scheduled. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Yellen that Bidenโs plan represented a โlaundry list of liberal structural economic reforms.โAs treasury secretary, Yellen, 74, would occupy a pivotal role in shaping and directing Bidenโs economic policies.
@POTUS resets as Twitter juggles presidential accounts
Its a Twitter users worst nightmare: Wake up to find most of your followers gone. But thats exactly what will happen on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, to the official presidential accounts on Twitter. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)It's a Twitter user's worst nightmare: Wake up to find most of your followers gone. But that's exactly what will happen on Wednesday to the official presidential accounts on Twitter. That's unlike the previous Twitter transition, when then-President Barack Obama's official accounts were transferred to President Donald Trump with followers intact.
The Latest: Trump declassifies Crossfire Hurricane material
___HEREโS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDENโS INAUGURATION:President-elect Joe Biden appeared at a memorial for COVID-19 victims at the Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday evening. ___4:45 p.m.President Donald Trump does not mention his successor, Democrat Joe Biden, by name in his farewell address. A person familiar with Penceโs schedule cited โlogistical challengesโ in getting from the air base to President-elect Joe Bidenโs inauguration ceremonies on Wednesday. The information was passed from the National Guard Bureau to the D.C. National Guard. ___10:45 a.m.Three new Democratic senators are set to be sworn into office after President-elect Joe Bidenโs inauguration Wednesday.
The Latest: Hawley blocks quick confirmation of DHS nominee
Homeland Security Secretary nominee Alejandro Mayorkas testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Hawley said he made the move because Mayorkas, in his confirmation hearing, would not commit to spending the $1.4 billion appropriated to expand the border wall with Mexico. Alejandro Mayorkas was asked about it Tuesday at his Senate confirmation hearing. ___10:30 a.m.One of President Donald Trumpโs national intelligence directors is introducing President-elect Joe Bidenโs nominee for the job at her confirmation hearing. Avril Haines faces a confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate intelligence committee.
Confirmation hearing postponed for Biden's intel chief pick
FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2020, file photo President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)WASHINGTON โ A confirmation hearing for President-elect Joe Biden's pick for national intelligence director has been postponed until next week, according to leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Avril Haines, a former CIA deputy director and former deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, was to have appeared Friday before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The hearing was announced Wednesday, setting Haines up to be the first of Biden's picks to face a Senate committee for confirmation. โWe are disappointed the hearing was delayed, particularly given the urgency to have national security leaders in place in this time of crisis.
Biden blames Trump for violence at Capitol that's shaken US
President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, to announce key nominees for the Justice Department. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON โ President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday denounced the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol as โdomestic terroristsโ and he blamed President Donald Trump for the violence that has shaken the nation's capital and beyond. It was chaos.โThose who massed on Capitol Hill intending to disrupt a joint session of Congress that was certifying Bidenโs election victory over Trump โwerenโt protesters. The remarks came during an event in Wilmington, Delaware, to introduce Biden's Justice Department team, to be led by federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland as attorney general. The Justice Department is expected to dramatically change course during the Biden administration, with a greater focus on civil rights issues and a review of policing policies.
Trinity University professor discusses historical riots contesting election results, significance of US Capitol breach
โThis is the day that we will remember,โ said Carey Latimore, Ph.D., an associate professor of history at Trinity University. โOne is the Wilmington riots of 1898, and thatโs a case in Wilmington, North Carolina, in which you had some rioters who disputed an election. And so, they decided to go and try to take over a town and sort of decertify, by their own self, a local election,โ Latimore said. As Congress moves forward with the certification of the electoral votes, Latimore said there needs to be an emphasis on vetting information. But, we found ways of moving forward,โ Latimore said.
TribCast: The Texans objecting to Joe Biden's Electoral College victory
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden delivers remarks on the U.S. response to the COVID-19 outbreak, at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, on Dec. 29, 2020. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst(Audio unavailable. Click here to listen on texastribune.org.) Editor's note: This TribCast was recorded before Congress convened to certify Electoral College votes and before rioters stormed the Capitol and interrupted those proceedings. In this edition of the TribCast, Emma talks to Abby, Ross and Cassi about Electoral College drama at the U.S. Capitol โ and a new session about to start at the Texas Capitol.
Biden urges restoring decency after โassaultโ on democracy
President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Biden has called the violent protests on the U.S. Capitol "an assault on the most sacred of American undertakings: the doing of the people's business." โ President-elect Joe Biden called Wednesday for the restoration of โsimple decencyโ as a mob incited by his predecessor stormed the U.S. Capitol and delayed Congress from certifying the results of Novemberโs election. But shortly before he was to begin speaking, demonstrators broke into the Capitol building, reaching as far as the Senate floor. In an address that took only about 10 minutes and was televised against a split screen of the still-occupied Capitol building, Biden attempted to project calm and to say that a deeply divided country can still come together.
President-elect Joe Biden delivers remarks as chaos erupts at US Capitol
Biden addressed the violent protests as authorities struggled to take control of a chaotic situation at the Capitol that led to the evacuation of lawmakers. Original (1:30 p.m.): President-elect Joe Biden is slated to deliver remarks on the economy as members of Congress met in a joint session on Wednesday to confirm his electoral win over President Donald Trump. The session, which is required by law and typically routine, has erupted into chaos in Washington D.C. as Trump supporters clashed with police outside the U.S. Capitol. Meanwhile, Biden will speak at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware, where he has remained during the transition. Defying Trump, Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that he does not have the power to discard electoral votes that will make Biden the next president on Jan. 20.
Biden's pick to lead Treasury made over $7M in speaking fees
Yellenโs was among three financial disclosures turned in by Biden transition officials that were made public on Thursday by the Office of Government Ethics. She took in the speaking fees in 2019 and 2020. Hillary Clinton faced criticism from the left wing of the Democratic Party while running for president in 2016 for having received lucrative speaking fees at Wall Street firms. "Sheโs been fully transparent.โAlso released Thursday were disclosure forms from Bidenโs choice to be secretary of state, Antony Blinken, who detailed his work at a consulting firm he co-founded, WestExec Advisors, LLC. Avril Haines, Bidenโs choice to be national intelligence director, disclosed being a consultant at WestExec Advisors and collecting around $55,000 in fees between October 2017 and last summer.
Biden criticizes pace of vaccine rollout, vows to accelerate
โWe need to be honest โ the next few weeks and months are going to be very tough, very tough for our nation. Maybe the toughest during this entire pandemic,โ Biden said during remarks in Wilmington, Delaware on Tuesday. At the current pace, Biden said, โitโs gonna take years, not months, to vaccinate the American people.โPresident Donald Trump deflected Biden's critique. Biden received his first dose of the vaccine on live television last week, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received hers, also on television, on Tuesday. Still, Biden warned that it would take months after heโs in office for Americans to see positive change in the course of the virus.
President-elect Joe Biden addresses coronavirus
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen theater, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)(Update: The event is over. Please check back for more livestreams). President-elect Joe Biden will deliver remarks about the coronavirus pandemic from Wilmington, Delaware.
Biden warns of Trump officials' 'roadblocks' to transition
โ President-elect Joe Biden is warning of massive damage done to the national security apparatus by the Trump administration and โroadblocksโ in communication between agency officials and his transition team that could undermine Americansโ security. โRight now we just arenโt getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. Trump has implemented an โAmerica Firstโ foreign policy that saw the U.S. retreat from longstanding global alliances and treaties. The Trump Administration cut funding from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, withdrew from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords. Trump himself has had a contentious relationship with the intelligence community, criticizing its findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to boost his candidacy.
President-elect Joe Biden addresses national security, foreign policy challenges
President-elect Joe Biden speaks at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)(Update: The event is over. Please check back for more livestreams from KSAT.com). President-elect Joe Biden will deliver remarks on national security and foreign policy challenges facing his administration. The event is scheduled to begin at 2:30, but there could be delays.
President-elect Joe Biden, VP-elect Kamala Harris introduce education secretary
President-elect Joe Biden pauses as he leaves to listen to a reporter's shouted question at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will introduce their education secretary pick, Miguel Cardona, on Wednesday morning. Biden says Cardona, Connecticutโs education chief and a lifelong champion of public schools, is a product of public schools, starting when he entered kindergarten unable to speak English. In the announcement of his nomination, shared first with The Associated Press, Biden said Cardona would offer America โan experienced and dedicated public school teacher leading the way at the Department of Education." And as a child who grew up in a housing project, he will focus in particular on closing the racial and socioeconomic gaps in education.
Biden: Reversing Trump immigration policies will take months
President-elect Joe Biden pauses as he leaves to listen to a reporter's shouted question at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020. His Tuesday comments echo those made by two of his top foreign policy advisers in an interview with Spanish wire service EFE on Monday hitting the brakes on rolling back Trumpโs restrictive asylum policies. On his campaign website, Biden promised to end the agreement with Mexico, known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, within the first 100 days of his presidency. This effort will begin immediately but it will take months to develop the capacity that we will need to reopen fully,โshe said. โThe Biden administrationโs work to end cruelty must start immediately,โ said Linda Rivas, executive director and managing attorney of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, Texas.
The Latest: Biden says months to fix Trump border policies
โ 4 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says he wonโt immediately roll back President Donald Trumpโs immigration policies at the border despite some advocates pushing for action as soon as he takes the oath of office in January. Biden said Tuesday that he will work to undo his predecessorโs actions and will focus on โhumaneโ immigration policies that reunify families separated by the Trump administration at the U.S.-Mexico border but it will take time. The Democrat said it may take six months to lift some of Trumpโs immigration policies. ___3:45 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says he is not discussing the investigation of his son with any prospective candidates for attorney general. โ-3:25 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says that the nation has a long way to go in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and is encouraging Americans to avoid large gatherings over the Christmas holidays.
Biden addresses COVID bill, holiday pandemic precautions
โThereโs still so much we donโt know,โ Biden said during a news conference in Wilmington, Delaware. โThe truth is, the Trump administration failed to prioritize cybersecurity,โ Biden said. He called the bill a โdown paymentโ on a broader relief bill he plans to introduce when he takes office in January. โI look forward to the second shot, and I have absolute confidence in the vaccine,โ Biden said. Reed served as Bidenโs chief of staff during his first term as vice president and has long been a close member of Bidenโs inner circle of advisers.
Biden's profoundly private Pentagon pick joins Twitter
Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, the Biden administrations choice to be secretary of defense, speaks at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020. Well, today Iโm learning about Twitter,โ Austin, 67, tweeted mid-morning. Under the law, a service member must be out of uniform for at least seven years before serving as defense secretary. Austin retired in 2016. Austin's Twitter video treads a careful line between touting his military career and emphasizing his current status as a civilian.
Aide: Biden won't talk about son Hunter with AG candidates
FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, President-elect Joe Biden, right, embraces his son Hunter Biden, left, in Wilmington, Del. Bidens son Hunter says he has learned from federal prosecutors that his tax affairs are under investigation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)WASHINGTON โ President-elect Joe Bidenโs incoming press secretary said Sunday that Biden would not discuss the investigation of his son with any prospective candidates for attorney general. A federal investigation into the finances of Bidenโs son, Hunter, will likely be a major point of contention during Senate confirmation hearings for Biden's nominee to lead the Justice Department. Psaki also said the topic of Hunter Biden would not come up in interviews.
Biden: Environmental team heavy on experience, diversity
The incoming Biden team will try to undo or block many of the current administrationโs initiatives. In his remarks, Biden stressed the diversity of an emerging team that he described as โbrilliant, qualified, tested and they are barrier-busting." The nominees Biden introduced Saturday had compelling personal stories that they cited as guiding them if confirmed by the Senate. The office oversees environmental reviews for virtually all major infrastructure projects and advises the president on major environmental issues. Two other members of the team introduced Saturday do not need Senate confirmation.
The Latest: Bidens to get first vaccine dose on Monday
President-elect Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pause to talk with Ashley Biden and her husband Howard Krein as they walk from St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., Friday, Dec. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):1:30 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, will be getting their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Monday. She said the Bidens would also be thanking workers at the Delaware medical facility where they will receive their injections. Joe Biden had just been elected to the Senate and was in Washington setting up his new office at the time of the accident. Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, attended the Friday morning service in Delaware at St. Joseph on the Brandywine, a Roman Catholic church.
The Latest: Biden's picks point to their diverse backgrounds
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):3:55 p.m.Several of the latest picks announced by President-elect Joe Biden are emphasizing the diversity of the backgrounds as they prepare to join an administration Biden has promised will reflect the varied experiences of Americans. Tom Vilsack, Bidenโs pick to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture, noted he grew up in an orphanage near Pittsburgh. Biden spoke while introducing Vilsack, Fudge and three other top picks for his administration on Friday. ___3:05 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says the American public should have confidence in a coronavirus vaccine that may soon begin to become available. Biden fills Cabinet with former White House leadersโ Hundreds of GOP members sign onto Texas-led election lawsuitโ Joe Biden, Kamala Harris named Time magazineโs Person of the Year
White House threatens FDA chief's job over vaccine approval
The FDA granted emergency use for the vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech. Fridayโs threat marked the latest attempt by the Trump administration to override government scientists working to combat the deadly pandemic. โGet the dam vaccines out NOW, Dr. Hahn,โ Trump tweeted Friday. Hahn told The Associated Press earlier this week that his agency had already teed up authorization by prefilling all the necessary legal paperwork. โWeโre doing everything we can to cut down on the red tape, which I think is really important,โ Hahn told the AP.
Biden: Cabinet picks from Obama era mean 'bold new thinking'
His choice for agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, served in the same post for Obama for eight years. Above all, they know how government should and can work for all Americans.โRelying too heavily on Obama administration veterans has already begun to draw some grumbling from members of Biden's own party, however. Mark Riddle, a Democratic strategist who founded a pro-Biden Super PAC during the 2020 presidential campaign, said there is no danger in relying too heavily on โall starโ former Obama administration leaders. โIf we come out of the box on jobs, jobs, jobs, I feel great. Biden said his choices โhave different backgrounds and lived experiences.โโAnd," he said โthey all reflect the very best of our nation.โ
The Latest: Biden to campaign in Georgia for Senate runoffs
President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event to announce his choice of retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin to be secretary of defense, at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):7 a.m.President-elect Joe Biden is heading to Georgia to campaign for the Democratic candidates in the state's two critical U.S. Senate runoffs. Raphael Warnock and the Democratic ticket in the Jan. 5 runoffs, which will determine which party controls the Senate at the outset of his presidency. Ossoff faces Republican Sen. David Perdue. Read more:โ Trump virus coordinator Birx seeks role in Biden governmentโ Hunter Biden tax probe examining Chinese business dealingsโ Despite Trumpโs venting and threats, Bidenโs win is sealed
Hunter Biden facing federal investigation over โtax affairsโ
โ President-elect Joe Bidenโs son Hunter said Wednesday that his โtax affairsโ are under federal investigation, putting a renewed spotlight on the questions about his financial dealings that dogged his fatherโs campaign. In a statement released by the president-electโs transition office, the younger Biden said he learned about the investigation on Tuesday. Hunter Biden has long been a target of President Donald Trump and his allies, who have accused him of profiting off his political connections. The disclosure of the federal investigation led by the U.S. attorneyโs office in Delaware comes at an awkward moment for the incoming president, who is assembling his Cabinet. His pick for attorney general could have oversight of the investigation into the new presidentโs son if it is still ongoing when Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20.
AP sources: Biden to pick Katherine Tai as top trade envoy
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON โ President-elect Joe Biden is set to nominate Katherine Tai to be the top U.S. trade envoy, according to two people familiar with his plans. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Tai earlier oversaw China trade enforcement for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, setting U.S. strategy in trade disputes with China. Bidenโs trade representative will inherit a trade war with China, put on pause by an interim trade pact in January that left many of the hardest issues unresolved and U.S. taxes remaining on $360 billion in Chinese imports. As the top trade staffer at Ways and Means, Tai handled negotiations last year with the Trump administration over a revamped North American trade deal. Tai is considered a problem-solving pragmatist on trade policy, which often breaks down into an ideological divide between free traders and protectionists.
Biden predicts 'bleak future' if Congress doesn't act on aid
โ President-elect Joe Biden is predicting a โbleak futureโ if Congress doesn't take speedy action on a coronavirus aid bill amid a nationwide spike in the virus that's hampering the country's economic recovery. โIf we act now โ I mean now โ we can begin to regain momentum and start to build back a better future,โ he said. While the Trump administration has undertaken some planning around vaccine distribution, Biden said Friday that their proposal lacks significant details. Democrats and Republicans have been deadlocked on a coronavirus aid bill for months, with Republicans opposed to a previous, more expensive bill that passed the House. Biden said Friday that he plans to ask Congress for funding for expanded testing, vaccine distribution, jobless aid and help for those at risk of eviction.
The Latest: Biden: Trump inaugural presence important to US
WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):9:55 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says it is important that President Donald Trump attend his inauguration only in the sense that it would demonstrate the nationโs commitment to a peaceful transfer of power between political rivals. ___8:45 p.m.Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have made a fresh push for President-elect Joe Biden to nominate New Mexico Gov. But $207.5 million came in after Election Day as Trump repeatedly โ and falsely โ claimed President-elect Joe Biden won due to voter fraud. Gina Raimondo has knocked down talk that she is in the running for President-elect Joe Bidenโs secretary of health and human services. ___12:25 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden has tapped former Obama administration senior economic adviser Brian Deese to be director of the National Economic Council.
Unveiling economic team, Biden pledges, 'Help is on the way'
He picked liberal advisers who have long prioritized the nationโs workers and government efforts to address economic inequality. Biden repeatedly evoked his work as vice president when the Obama administration oversaw the economic recovery following the 2008 financial crisis, noting that many of those on his newly formed economic team worked closely with him then. โWe might have to ask Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote a musical about the first secretary of the treasury, Hamilton, to write another musical about the female secretary of the treasury,โ Biden joked. The president-elect also selected Wally Adeyemo to be Yellenโs deputy, which would make him the first Black deputy treasury secretary. As he has in recent weeks, Biden repeated calls for Congress to pass immediate pandemic relief funding even before he takes office.
WATCH LIVE: President-elect Joe Biden to announce economic team
โ President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are expected to announce his assembly of nominees and appointees to key economic policy posts. It will be livestreamed in this article, but delays are possible; if there is not a livestream available, check back at a later time. With unemployment still high and the pandemic threatening yet another economic slump, Biden is assembling a team of liberal advisers who have long focused on the nationโs workers and government efforts to address economic inequality. Biden also named Cecilia Rouse as chair of his Council of Economic Advisers, and Heather Boushey and Jared Bernstein as members of the council. All are outspoken supporters of more government stimulus spending to boost growth, a major issue with the coronavirus pandemic cramping the U.S. economy.
Top secret: Biden gets access to President's Daily Brief
โ Joe Biden has had his first look as president-elect at the President's Daily Brief, a top secret summary of U.S. intelligence and world events โ a document former first lady Michelle Obama has called โThe Death, Destruction, and Horrible Things Book." More than a decade ago, Biden read President George W. Bush's PDB during Biden's transition into the vice presidency. After that, he read President Barack Obama's PDB for eight years. Later in his presidency, he liked reading the ultra-secret intelligence brief on a secured iPad. Before Trump authorized Biden to get the PDB as president-elect, Biden was given some intelligence background briefings as a candidate.
Biden chooses an all-female senior White House press team
โ President-elect Joe Biden will have an all-female senior communications team at his White House, reflecting his stated desire to build out a diverse White House team as well as whatโs expected to be a return to a more traditional press operation. Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield will serve as Bidenโs White House communications director. Four of the seven top communications roles at the White House will be filled by women of color, and itโs the first time the entire senior White House communications team will be entirely female. Trump himself sometimes served as his own press secretary, taking questions from the media, and he often bypassed the White House press corps entirely by dialing into his favorite Fox News shows. โ Pili Tobar, who was communications director for coalitions on Bidenโs campaign, will be his deputy White House communications director.
Biden twists ankle while playing with dog, visits a doctor
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) โ President-elect Joe Biden twisted his ankle while playing with one of his dogs and will be examined by a doctor โout of an abundance of caution,โ his office said SundayBiden suffered the injury on Saturday and was visiting an orthopedist for an examination Sunday afternoon, his office said. Biden was playing with Major, one of the Bidensโ two dogs. They adopted Major in 2018, and acquired their first dog, Champ, after the 2008 election. The Bidens have said theyโll be bringing their dogs to the White House and also plan to get a cat.
Biden fractures foot while playing with dog, to wear a boot
Biden slipped while playing with his dog Major, and twisted his ankle. โ President-elect Joe Biden fractured his right foot while playing with one of his dogs, an injury discovered in a scan Sunday and that will likely require him to wear a boot for several weeks, his doctor said. Reporters covering the president-elect were not afforded the opportunity to see Biden enter the doctor's office Sunday, despite multiple requests. Leaving the doctor's office to head to an imaging center for his CT scan, Biden was visibly limping, though he walked without a crutch or other aid. Biden sustained the injury playing with Major, one of the Bidensโ two dogs.
The Latest: Biden says split Congress affects Cabinet picks
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):7:15 p.m. Late Monday, the General Services Administration โascertainedโ that Biden is the apparent winner of this monthโs presidential election. Biden spoke as he rolled out his picks to fill top national security slots in his Cabinet including secretary of state, national security adviser and a new, Cabinet-level post dedicated to climate change. ___1:20 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says his national security team will lead the way in reflecting the fact that โAmerica is backโ on the world stage. The choice of words is noteworthy because it implies that President Donald Trump has been defeated by Joe Biden.
Biden formally introduces his national security, foreign policy teams
Still, Biden's nominees were a clear departure from Trump, whose Cabinet has largely consisted of men, almost all of them white. The diplomat, in turn, said that with his selections, Biden is achieving much more than a changing of the guard. The Senate previously confirmed him in December 2013 by a party-line vote to be the deputy secretary of Homeland Security. Muir said the first meeting with Biden's team was held virtually on Tuesday morning and that he expected daily meetings to come โ some virtually and some in person. He said normal accommodations for the Biden team have been made, including provision of briefing materials, video-teleconferencing capabilities, and office space inside the Pentagon.
The Latest: Trump, US agency allow formal Biden transition
WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):8 p.m. The General Services Administration has formally designated President-elect Joe Biden as the โapparent winnerโ of the Nov. 3 election. ___3:30 p.m.President-elect Joe Biden says he wants to work closely with the nationโs mayors to help Americans cope during the coronavirus pandemic. Haines, 51, was the White House deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration. About a dozen other senior White House staffers also have been announced by the president-elect.
Biden expected to nominate Blinken as secretary of state
FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, file photo, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Syria. Blinken is the leading contender to become President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of state, according to multiple people familiar with the Biden team's planning. โ President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of state, according to multiple people familiar with the Biden team's planning. Blinken, 58, served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration and has close ties with Biden. Biden's secretary of state would inherit a deeply demoralized and depleted career workforce at the State Department.
Biden wants Congress to pass emergency COVID aid this year
President-elect Joe Biden participates in a meeting with the National Governors Association's executive committee at The Queen theater, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. Pelosi said talks with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP leadership on Thursday did not produce any consensus on a new virus aid package. Later Friday, McConnell proposed that Congress shift $455 billion of unspent small business lending funds toward a new COVID-19 aid package. Psaki said that Biden, Pelosi and Schumer are already working โin lockstepโ to push for an pandemic relief bill before Congress adjourns for the year, a period known as a lame-duck session. Trying to bypass the Trump administration altogether, Biden on Thursday met virtually with a collection of leading Republican and Democratic governors.