Biden claimed that he wasn’t provided sufficient information to understand our force posture around the world, claiming it was “nothing short of irresponsibility.” But the Acting Secretary of Defense, Chris Miller, said that was nonsense, that not only had he been provided all the information he requested, they gave him more than he requested.
“The Department of Defense has conducted 164 interviews with over 400 officials, and provided over 5,000 pages of documents – far more than initially requested by Biden’s transition team,” Miller said in a statement. “DOD’s efforts already surpass those of recent administrations with over three weeks to go and we continue to schedule additional meetings for the remainder of the transition and answer any and all requests for information in our purview.
Indeed, he indicated they’d been giving them so much time and that they still had to do their regular jobs as well, not just try to bring up to speed a team that didn’t seem to be appreciating all the attention they were being given.
Seriously, if Biden isn’t able to understand after being given far more information than he requested that’s on him, the man who for 47 years has been pretty much wrong about every foreign policy decision, as former Obama Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. That lack of understanding could be very dangerous for our nation.
But Biden also claimed that the Office of Management and Budget was not being helpful, that they were facing “roadblocks” there as well.
That, too, appears to have been a lie. But “unity,” right? OMB’s Russ Vought blasted Biden for not telling the truth in a letter to his transition team aide, Ted Kaufman.
Since ascertainment, 0MB has provided significant briefing materials on its operations, and has provided factual information about ongoing programs to the BTT upon request. We have taken more than 45 meetings with your staff to discuss specific issues, operational questions, and more. It is appropriate for 0MB to share information about ongoing programs so the BTT can use it to develop its own policies. We have provided all information requested from 0MB about ongoing programs.
To your specific criticisms with respect to COVID, as you are aware, your team has been briefed by 0MB, as well as the relevant agencies, on Operation Warp Speed and other COVID relief efforts, including the various funding streams in use for these efforts. Furthermore, there is record of your team accessing these critical documents just last week.
As the record shows, 0MB has fully participated in appropriate transition efforts. What we have not done and will not do is use current 0MB staffto write the BTT’s legislative policy proposals to dismantle this Administration’s work. 0MB staff are working on this Administration’s policies and will do so until this Administration’s final day in office. Redirecting staff and resources to draft your team’s budget proposals is not an 0MB transition responsibility.
So, they want to use the Trump team to upend the Trump policies currently in place. Has there ever been anyone with more nerve than Biden, trying at all points to undermine Trump, from the very beginning over Gen. Flynn to now?
Two more reasons for Biden lying like this: It’s the same reason he’s acting like Trump isn’t already distributing the vaccine and doesn’t already have a plan in place. He wants to appear to ride in as the hero who cleans up the problems. The problem is those “problems” already are being addressed. He may also be trying to set up an excuse for what would be an inevitable fail if he takes office.