Trump team agrees to DOJ background checks for nominees
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President-elect Trump on Nov. 13 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images
President-elect Trump's transition team reached an agreement with the Department of Justice on Tuesday to allow background checks of his upcoming administration's nominees.
Why it matters: The move allows the president-elect's intended aides and staffers to gain security clearances prior to his taking office so they can access classified materials — key for a seamless transition.
- It also means Trump's Cabinet picks will have to go through a background check process before the Senate votes on their confirmations.
- Some Republicans Senators like Susan Collins of Maine had called for nominees to go through the background check process.
Yes, but: It wasn't immediately clear whether Trump's nominees can opt out of the background checks.
- Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Driving the news: The transition team said in a statement that is has entered into a Memorandum Of Understanding with the DOJ as "the next step in the ongoing preparation of senior administration officials."
- The move will allow Trump's team to submit names for background checks and security clearances.
- "Ultimately, this will afford the transition process additional insights, and it facilitates our agency landing teams gaining access to the information they need to prepare for leadership of the federal agencies and departments," per the transition team.
What they're saying: "This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day," Trump's chief of staff pick, Susie Wiles, said in a statement.
Context: Trump's team signed a separate agreement with the Biden White House last week — months after the process was supposed to start — to allow the incoming administration access to federal agency information it needs to prepare to take over the government.
- The DOJ agreement was put off at the time as the parties continued to work on it.
- Investigators have been on standby to process the clearances.
Go deeper: Trump administration 2.0: Tracking his Cabinet, White House picks
