The Pentagon blocked members of President Joe Biden’s incoming administration from gaining access to critical information about current operations, including the troop drawdown in Afghanistan, upcoming special operations missions in Africa and the Covid-19 vaccine distribution program, according to new details provided by transition and defense officials.
The effort to obstruct the Biden team, led by senior White House appointees at the Pentagon, is unprecedented in modern presidential transitions and will hobble the new administration on key national security matters as it takes over positions in the Defense Department on Wednesday, the officials said.
Biden openly decried the treatment his aides were receiving at the Pentagon in December, calling it “nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility” after meetings were canceled ahead of Christmas. He said his people were denied information on the SolarWinds hack, and said his team “needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies.”
But people involved with the transition, both on the Biden team and the Pentagon side, gave POLITICO a more detailed picture of what was denied, saying briefings on pressing defense matters never happened, were delayed to the last minute, or were controlled by overbearing minders from the Trump administration's side.
“Defense has traditionally been a bipartisan business between and among professionals, and this is terrible optics for those who want to copy this pettiness in the future,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, a fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. The effort to block the transition from key national security information is “useless, poor form, and horrible precedent.”
This story is based on conversations with 10 Pentagon and Biden officials involved in the transition, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations.
Tensions between the Pentagon and the Biden agency landing team emerged almost the moment the General Services Administration authorized the transition to begin in late November after an initial delay following the election. While the military side of the house — the Joint Staff and the geographic combatant commanders — were more cooperative, the civilian side set up roadblocks at every turn.
“They really should not be allowed to get away with this. It’s just completely irresponsible and indefensible,” said one transition official. “To play politics with the country’s national security is just really unacceptable.”
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And thus retroactively exhonerating Trump over the issue for which he was Impeached the first time (allegedly hounding Ukraine to dig up dirt regarding the Bidens' actions in the Ukraine!)?
I guess a few in the military still remember the general telling Trump they're out of ammunition. This impostor in chief is much more recognizable than the one he served
My question is: Can the patriots who denied biden's people access be FIRED by biden as another example of "don't f**k with me" policy ? I am very happy patroits have followed our laws and denied access to ccp (red china) spies , like the chaufer of a california US senator, who is still a senaor, who drove her around for 20 years.
red china has just unleashe another bological attack on the entire world and almost, with our local politicians help, destroyed the ecomomy of the United States.
No one can trust that lying treasonous bastard. Especially our own military. I wouldn't tell Biden the time of day.
Thanks and YES!! Well said
biden would sell our military information to russia, iran, china and whoever would pay him for it
Watch Biden host the Russians in the White House soon. They will be one of the first to get an invitation.
It is not politics, it is about treason.
He is an absolutely corrupt individual and will see no penalty for everything he has done and his son will continue to do.
Edie, no question about that. The Bidens are corrupt. - Now watch the radical left come after Trump now since he is no longer shielded by holding the Office of the President.
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