President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has finally signed a memorandum of understanding with the White House, allowing for coordination with federal agencies. This move comes after missing previous deadlines and facing criticism from officials and lawmakers. The agreement enables the incoming administration to begin the presidential transition process and access resources provided by the government. Despite not signing an agreement with the General Services Administration, Trump’s team has declared itself a “self-sufficient organization.” The White House and the GSA had urged Trump’s team to sign the agreements since September, emphasizing the importance of a smooth transition. While the Trump team did not sign the GSA memorandum, they did fulfill the requirement of publicly posting an ethics plan for the transition team. However, they also did not sign an agreement with the Justice Department, which would allow background checks on Cabinet nominees. The Trump transition team has not commented on this issue. The agreement with the White House signifies progress in the transition process, as the new administration prepares to take office.
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