Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller Halts Biden Transition Briefings

Chris MIller, the appearing Secretary of Protection, has ordered the Pentagon to halt President-elect Joe Biden’s transition briefings. A prime Biden transition official was unaware of the transfer.

Conferences between the Pentagon and members of Biden’s transition group have continued to fulfill since President Donald Trump allowed the transition to proceed after weeks of delay, however late final evening Miller ordered officers to cancel remaining conferences that have been nonetheless on the schedule.

A senior Protection Division official stated the transfer quantities to “ “a easy delay of the previous couple of scheduled conferences till after the brand new yr.”

The official stated: “We had fewer than two dozen remaining conferences on the schedule at this time and subsequent week… the DoD workers working the conferences have been overwhelmed by the variety of conferences.” They added that “These identical senior leaders wanted to do their day jobs and have been being consumed by transition actions. … With the vacations we’re taking a knee for 2 weeks. We’re nonetheless dedicated to a productive transition.”

It’s unclear if President Trump, who has continued to say the 2020 election was fraudulent regardless of authorizing the transition and the Electoral School certifying Biden’s win earlier this week, accredited of Miller’s directive.

Miller was appointed on November 9 after Trump fired former Protection Secretary Mark Esper. He has leveraged his place to make coverage modifications affecting the particular operations group, in response to a report final month, together with his announcement that the USA would draw down its presence to 2,500 troops by January 15 in each Afghanistan and Iraq.

Alan is a author, editor, and information junkie primarily based in New York.