Trump team signs an agreement with the DOJ for security clearances

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Trump transition team said it can begin submitting names of officials and nominees for background checks and security clearances after it signed an agreement with the Justice Department.

The FBI plays a key role in the transition from one administration to the next, conducting background checks and processing security clearances for intended nominees and the transition officials, known as landing teams, who go into agencies before the inauguration to get ready.

“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,” the transition team said in a statement.

The transition team missed an Oct. 1 deadline to sign an agreement with the White House to provide for landing teams to begin meeting with departments and agencies. It ultimately signed that agreement on Nov. 26. But team members need security clearances to gain access to classified information.

The delays in signing the memoranda of understanding had raised concerns that the Trump team would bypass FBI background checks that have long been a requirement for Senate confirmations.

President-elect Donald Trump hasn’t been shy about his distrust of the Justice Department and the FBI. He’s already announced his pick for FBI director, indicating he plans to fire the current head.

The transition team opted against signing a third agreement with the General Services Administration (GSA) that would provide funding, office space and technology. That agreement would have required an ethics agreement.

Instead, the Trump team said it would use “an existing ethics plan” for its team, and agreed to post it on the GSA website.