Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Joe Biden warns lives could be lost if Donald Trump continues to block pandemic transition planning

Joe Biden warns lives could be lost if Donald Trump continues to block pandemic transition planning

Joe Biden has warned that Donald Trump is risking American lives by refusing to let his administration work with Mr Biden’s team on his transition into power given the need to get up to speed on the pandemic.

When Mr Biden, the US president-elect, was asked the most damaging aspect of Mr Trump’s refusal to concede and how it is hampering preparations for office he responded: “More people may die if we don’t coordinate.”

Specifically Mr Biden mentioned planning for rolling out a Covid-19 vaccine in the new year, a task the former Democratic presidential nominee will oversee when he enters the White House after his inauguration on January 20.

Mr Biden also urged Americans gathering with their families for the Thanksgiving holidays at the end of this month not to meet in groups of more than 10 inside homes amid fears the festivities could fuel the coronavirus surge.

Traditionally an incoming US president’s teams of experts meet with their counterparts at different government departments during the gap between the November election and the January switch of power to better understand what they will face.

However Mr Trump’s refusal to concede, despite leading major US media outlets universally calling the race for Mr Biden, has meant that the Biden transition team is not being briefed by Trump administration figures.


Answering questions from reporters after a speech about reviving the economy, Mr Biden lamented Mr Trump’s failure to concede, saying it was more “embarrassing” to the US president than it was debilitating for the start of his presidency.

However he picked out Covid-19 vaccine preparations as an area where real damage could be done by the lack of engagement, saying: “If we have to wait until January 20th to start that planning it puts us behind.”

Mr Biden expressed optimism that Mr Trump would concede and engage before then, saying: “I am hopeful that the president will be mildly more enlightened before we get to January 20th.”

The president-elect urged the Senate, which is held by the Republicans, to pass a stimulus package already voted through by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives aimed at tackling the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Mr Biden was also asked how families should act on Thanksgiving, a US holiday, given the Covid-19 pandemic. The issue has been a major topic of debate with states offering differing advice.

Mr Biden said he had been having the same discussion with his family and was following guidance from experts that said no more than 10 people should gather inside the home for the holiday.

Mr Biden said: “I would strongly urge not just for your sake, for the sake of your children, your mother, your father, your sisters, your brothers, whoever you get together at Thanksgiving, think about this: There should be no group of more than 10 people inside the home. That’s what they’re telling me.”

Likening the push to counter Covid-19 to a “war”, Mr Biden said: “I just want to make sure that we’re able to be together next Thanksgiving, next Christmas.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×