PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) 鈥� President-elect complained on Tuesday that President was undermining his transition to power a day after the incumbent moved to in most federal waters.
Biden, whose term expires in two weeks, used his authority under the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to protect offshore areas along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of Alaska鈥檚 Northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing. All told, about 625 million acres of federal waters were withdrawn from energy exploration by Biden in a move that may require an act of Congress to undo.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to put it back on day one," Trump told reporters at his private club in Florida. He pledged to take it to the courts 鈥渋f we need to."
Trump said Biden's effort 鈥� part of a series of final actions in office by the Democrat's administration 鈥� was undermining his plans for once he's in office.
鈥淵ou know, they told me that, we鈥檙e going to do everything possible to make this transition to the new administration very smooth," Trump said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not smooth.鈥�
But Biden's team has extended access and courtesies to the Trump team that the Republican former president initially denied Biden after his 2020 election victory. Trump incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles in an interview published Monday that Biden chief of staff had been 鈥渉as been very helpful.鈥�
In extended remarks, Trump also railed against the work of special counsel , who oversaw now-dropped prosecutions over his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and possession of of classified documents after he left office in 2021. The Justice Department is expected to soon release a report from Smith summarizing his investigation after the criminal cases were forced to an end by Trump's victory in November.
Trump also said he would move to try to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the 鈥淕ulf of America," saying that has a 鈥渂eautiful ring to it.鈥�
Will Weissert And Zeke Miller, The Associated Press
