US President-elect Joe Biden expressed frustration on Monday about Donald Trump's refusal so far to cooperate on the White House transition process, saying "more people may die" without immediate coordination on fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
"More people may die if we don't coordinate" on issues like distributing COVID-19 vaccines to Americans as quickly as possible, Mr Biden told reporters in Wilmington when asked what is the greatest threat from Mr Trump's obstruction of a smooth transfer of power.
"If we have to wait until (inauguration day) on 20 January to start that planning, it puts us behind for a month, a month and a half," Mr Biden said. "And so it's important that there be coordination now - now, or as rapidly as we can get that done."
Mr Biden also said business and labor leaders had signaled willingness to cooperate to fix the pandemic-battered US economy but stressed COVID-19 first must be brought under control and urged Congress to pass relief legislation.
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The Democratic president-elect delivered a speech and took questions from journalists in Wilmington, Delaware, after consulting with the CEOs of top US companies and labor leaders on Monday.
He welcomed further progress in COVID-19 vaccine development.
'Astounding unity'
Mr Biden said the CEOs and labor leaders were “ready to come together” and that “the unity was astounding.”
Mr Biden will inherit an economy that has suffered millions of job losses during a pandemic that has killed more than 246,000 people in the United States. US COVID-19 cases are surging as Mr Biden prepares to take office on 20 January.
“We’re going into a very dark winter. Things are going to get much tougher before they get easier,” Mr Biden said of the pandemic.
Mr Biden said it would be a lot easier for the presidential transition if Mr Trump were to cooperate but said of the incumbent’s refusal to concede: “I find this more embarrassing for the country than debilitating for my ability to get started.”
He called for bipartisan cooperation against the pandemic and urged Congress to pass pandemic relief legislation. Talks on such legislation stalled for months before the 3 November election.
Mr Biden said the coronavirus continues to spread “almost unabated” and that it was state governors who were stepping up.
