NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if President-elect Donald Trump’s transition will “impede” the “transfer of power” by failing to sign necessary transition papers.

The Trump transition has thus far not completed transition agreements, called Memoranda of Understanding or MOUs, that are needed to begin key aspects of the transfer of power with the White House and the General Services Administration (GSA).

At Thursday’s White House press briefing, KJP told Alba that the Biden administration is doing everything they can do to make things go smoothly — but the Trump/Vance team still hasn’t signed:

MONICA ALBA: Karine, does the White House have any reaction to Matt Gaetz withdrawing his name for consideration to be the next attorney general?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, what I’ll say is — and we’ve been pretty steadfast on being consistent here — not going to comment on every personnel matter or personnel matters here that the president-elect is deciding or is nominating people for — at these respective agencies. We really, truly want to respect the transfer of power. We want it to be efficient. We want it to — to happen in a way that the — the American people deserve, and that’s what we’ve been trying to do. And we believe that is very much part of our democratic principle, and that’s what you’re seeing this president do and lead by example.

More broadly — as we talk about the Department of Justice more broadly, look, the president has said when it comes to investigation, that department should be independent. There should be no partisanship. There should be no loyalty to one party or the other. The loyalty should be to the Constitution, and the loyalty should be to the rule of law. And that is something I believe and we believe the president has led also, on that particular issue, by example.

MONICA ALBA: And then on that topic, our understanding is that the Trump transition team hasn’t signed the MOUs that are outstanding still. Is there any update that you can provide on your end? Any progress there? Or is there concern now —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

MONICA ALBA: — about how that may impede some of that transfer of power you’re talking to?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. And so — and, look, as you know, the president, President Biden, met with the president-elect to show that transition of power and obviously offering any assistance needed to make sure that happens in a way that is peaceful, obviously, and efficient. And so, that was one part of it.

Our teams continue to stay in touch. As of now, to your point, the Trump-Vance transition team has not yet entered into the agreements with the White House and the General Service Administration. And, as you know, the chief of staff, Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, here has reached out to the — the cochairs and have co- — consistently reiterated the — the wanting to work together in making sure that they have what they need.

So, we’re going to continue to engage with the Trump transition team to ensure that we do have that efficient, effective transition of power. And in those conversation, we certainly are stressing that the White House and the administration stand ready to provide assistance and that access to services and information certainly outlined in the GSA and the White House Memorandum of Agreement — those MOUs.

So, those conversations continue, and we want this to go smoothly, and that’s what we’re trying to get to.

Watch above via The White House.

The post Reporter At Briefing Asks If Trump Team Will ‘Impede’ The ‘Transfer Of Power’ By Not Signing Transition Memos first appeared on Mediaite.

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