Trump team signs memorandum of understanding with Biden White House to formalize transition

President-elect Trump’s transition team announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the Biden White House allowing the two sides to formally begin the transition of power.

“After completing the selection process of his incoming Cabinet, President-elect Trump is entering the next phase of his administration’s transition by executing a Memorandum of Understanding with President Joe Biden’s White House,” Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, announced in a press release.

“This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power.”

The press release went on to explain that the transition “will not utilize taxpayer funding for costs related to the transition” in order to be “consistent with President Trump’s commitment to save taxpayers’ hard-earned money.”

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President Biden and President-elect Trump shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The press release added that the transition will “operate as a self-sufficient organization” in a “streamlined” manner and that “security and information protections” are already built in so that “additional government bureaucratic oversight” will not be required. 

The transition team also said an “existing” ethics plan is in place that will be posted to the website of the General Services Administration. 

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Former President Trump brings Susie Wiles to the podium at an election night watch party on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“The Transition landing teams will quickly integrate directly into federal agencies and departments with access to documents and policy sharing,” the press release stated. “Per the agreement, the Transition will disclose the landing team members to the Biden Administration.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

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President Biden delivers a speech at Dundalk Marine Terminal in Baltimore. (Getty Images)

Trump has been facing heat from his Democratic critics in recent weeks for not agreeing to the memorandum sooner. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent a letter to the GSA last week slamming the president-elect.

Signing the documents means the government can now provide security clearances and briefings to incoming administration officials and the FBI can screen Trump’s picks for the Cabinet and other key posts. The agreements also provide “office space, IT equipment, office supplies, fleet vehicles, mail management, and payment of compensation and other expenses,” according to the GSA. 

That process is designed to uncover personal problems, criminal histories and other potential red flags that would raise questions about a nominee’s suitability for key jobs. 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report