Members of President-elect Trump’s transition team announced Wednesday evening that they will soon unveil a series of “landing teams” designed to prepare federal agencies as the government changes hands.
“It consists of folks that will go to those agencies … and help to facilitate the transitions,” said Sean Spicer, spokesman for the Republican National Committee, on a conference call with reporters.
Spicer said the transition team will announce the make-up of four national security teams on Thursday. Respectively, the teams will focus on preparing the State Department, Justice Department, Defense Department and National Security Council for the incoming Trump administration.
Next week, Trump’s transition staff will reveal an economic landing team and a domestic policy landing team, Spicer and transition communications director Jason Miller said.
Their discussion of the landing teams could alleviate some of the pressure on Trump’s aides to pick up the pace, as Obama administration officials have begun to call attention to the fact that they had not yet been contacted by transition staff.
Trump’s aides have said the transition process is going smoothly and suggested the pace is a reflection of their thorough approach.
Spicer and Miller’s call with reporters Wednesday evening came amid media-driven criticism of the Trump operation’s treatment toward the journalists covering the transition. Some reporters balked Tuesday evening when the president-elect attempted to leave Trump Tower to have dinner with his family even though the press had been told to head home for the evening.
Miller said Trump held meetings with a number of contenders for administration posts on Wednesday, as well as with officials who had traveled to Trump Tower to offer him council.
Trump’s meetings included Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo, Sen. Jeff Sessions and retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn. Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, also met with Trump, as well as Steve Feinberg, a hedge fund manager who supported Trump during the campaign.
Moskowitz is a rumored contender for secretary of education. Flynn is a rumored contender for national security adviser.
Spicer said Trump’s schedule for Thursday included meetings with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Gov. Nikki Haley and Gen. Jack Keane.
The transition team spokesmen revealed the parameters of a lobbying ban Trump has imposed on prospective members of his administration.
“Like the folks on the transition team, they will be signing a lobbying ban form,” Spicer said.
What’s more, officials who exit the Trump administration will be prohibited from registering as a lobbyist for five years after their departure.
“People going out of government won’t be able to use that service to enrich themselves,” Spicer said.
