White House hosts first meeting with Trump, Harris transition teams

WASHINGTON — Representatives for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris ' transition teams met for the first time at the White House, the Biden administration announced Wednesday, as the outgoing administration plans to smooth the handoff to whomever wins in November.

Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients hosted a meeting Tuesday of the White House Transition Coordinating Committee — the government's senior-most transition planning group — and for the first time this year included Harris and Trump aides. The meeting and invitation to both parties' representatives are required under the Presidential Transition Act, which mandates that the designated candidate representatives serve in an advisory capacity.

The Roosevelt Room meeting lasted about an hour, the White House said, and included updates on various transition preparations, which include plans to provide office space for the nominees, identifying acting career officials to fill vacant political appointee roles during the transition and the preparation of memos on agency operations for the eventual president elect's team.