US President Donald Trump vows to avoid any Covid-19 lockdown and refuses to concede in the Rose Garden of the White House. Video / AP
Joe Biden's transition team is getting tough and demanding access to critical national security briefings amid Donald Trump's continued refusal to admit election defeat.
Biden has reportedly been barred from receiving daily intelligence briefings given to the President, which include summaries of national security threats.
Jen Psaki, an official from Biden's transition team, said they were "charging ahead with the transition" but direct engagement with federal agencies would "significantly help".
"It's been six days, but with every day that passes on, it becomes more concerning that our national security team and the President-elect and the Vice President-elect [Kamala Harris] don't have access to those threat assessments, intelligence briefings, real-time information about our engagements around the world," she said.
"You need real-time information to deal with crises of the moment," she added. "It's imperative that our team and our experts have that access."
Psaki said Biden would be briefed by national security experts next week.
It comes as Trump delivered his first public remarks since losing to Biden, in an appearance in the White House's Rose Garden.
The President provided an update on Operation Warp Speed, which is his administration's effort to accelerate the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine.
As Donald Trump keeps refusing to admit defeat, President-elect Joe Biden is getting tough. Photo / Getty Images
He briefly alluded to the election result while reiterating his opposition to lockdowns.
"I will not be going to a lockdown. Hopefully the, the ah – whatever happens in the future, who knows which administration it will be, I guess time will tell – but I can tell you this administration will not go to a lockdown," Trump said.
Meanwhile, the US news networks have called the final batch of states, giving a complete election result at last.
Trump has been called the winner in North Carolina, whereas both Arizona and Georgia have been called for Biden.
The Trump campaign is still pursuing legal action, and there are recounts to come in both Georgia and Wisconsin, so there's still a bit of an asterisk here. But neither of those factors are likely to change any of the results.
So, assuming nothing changes, Biden has won 306 electoral votes – the same number Trump won four years ago.
Trump's lack of help with transition 'catastrophic'
Former White House chief of staff John Kelly blasted Trump for not helping with the transition to a Biden administration.
"The delay in transitioning is an increasing national security and health crisis," Kelly said in a statement.
"It costs the current administration nothing to start to brief Mr Biden, Ms Harris, the new chief-of-staff, and ALL identified Cabinet members and senior staff."
Kelly added: "The downside to not doing so could be catastrophic to our people regardless of who they voted for."
"The current administration does not have to concede, but it should do the right thing just in case the Constitutional system declares they lost," he said.
"It is not about the GOP or the Democrat Party. It is not about the president or about Mr Biden. It is about America and what is best for our people.
"Mr Trump should order the transition process begin immediately. It is the right and moral thing to do."
