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
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×