US State Department
US State DepartmentiStock

The US State Department has informed staff that the transition process has begun and a team had been assigned inside the agency to support a handover to the incoming Biden administration, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing an internal email.

The guidelines came two days after the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency that must sign off on presidential transitions, notified President-elect Joe Biden that he could formally begin the handover.

“Following the November 3 election, representatives of President-elect Biden’s Transition Team have arrived at the Department of State to support preparations for the transition,” the email seen by Reuters said.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday that the State Department has begun the transition process.

"Today we began the process to see what the GSA's decision was, and will do everything that's required by law. We'll make this work," Pompeo said.

The interview came after the White House gave formal approval for Biden to receive the President's Daily Brief, a collection of classified intelligence reports prepared for the President.

The decision means Biden will have access to the latest intelligence about major national security threats around the globe.

Despite the GSA notice, President Donald Trump has denied that authorization for preparing the transition to a Biden administration represented a concession of defeat.

“What does GSA being allowed to preliminarily work with the Dems have to do with continuing to pursue our various cases on what will go down as the most corrupt election in American political history? We are moving full speed ahead. Will never concede to fake ballots & ‘Dominion,’” Trump tweeted on Monday night.