WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team will arrive at the Pentagon on Monday, a Pentagon spokesman said, following a delay in signing an agreement after the Nov. 5 election to formally begin the transition process.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks spoke to the Trump transition team on Friday and “conveyed the department’s commitment to a smooth and professional transition.”
The unusual delay in signing the deal after the election had raised concerns among some critics about possible hiccups in government operations or conflicts of interest.
Trump, a Republican, will take office on January 20. His team had rejected requests from Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration to quickly sign a memorandum of understanding and had objected to some elements of a traditional transition deal, according to the White House.