State Department is NOT facilitating calls between Joe Biden and world leaders congratulating him as General Services Administration continues to refuse to acknowledge he is the president-elect

The State Department is not facilitating the phone calls between Joe Biden and foreign leaders as the GSA still refuses to acknowledge that Donald Trump lost the election.

Traditionally, the State Department takes the lead in connecting the incoming president with leaders across the world. But, with President Trump refusing to concede to Biden, that is not happening. 

Since the race was called in his favor Saturday, Biden has talked to at least six world leaders and has indicated he will be speaking with several more.

'I'm letting them know that America is back,' Biden told reporters on Tuesday when asked his message to the world.

'I have a number of other calls to return,' he added. 

The State Department is not facilitating calls between President-elect Joe Biden and world leaders calling to congratulate him

The president-elect started his call sheet on Monday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

On Tuesday, his transition office sent out readouts for calls he had with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. 

In the past the State Department has facilitated those calls, which would include proving translation services and talking points when needed. Plus officials would take notes so there is a record of what was said.  

Biden, as a former vice president and longtime chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has longstanding relations with many of these leaders, meaning he has the contacts and diplomatic background to handle the conversations. 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he had discussed the coronavirus pandemic and climate change with Joe Biden y telephone after calling to 'congratulate him on his election' over Donald Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau became the first world leader to say he had spoken with President-elect Joe Biden, as President Donald Trump continues to refuse to concede 

French president Emmanuel Macron spoke to Joe Biden on Tuesday

Additionally Biden is not receiving the President's Daily Brief, the compilation of high-level intelligence reporting that goes to the most senior officials in the government. 

President Trump could authorize access for Biden, but he has not done so.

Biden confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that he was not receiving the briefing.

'Obviously the PDB would be useful but it's not necessary,' he said. 'Look, access to classified information is useful, but I'm not in a position to make any decisions on those issues anyway. As I said, one president at a time and he will be president until January 20.'

The stumbling blocks to the transition process came as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, following President Trump's lead, refused to concede that Biden won the election. 

When asked by a reporter at the State Department Tuesday if he would cooperate with the transition between the Trump and Biden administrations, Pompeo responded: 'There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration.'

Speaking to reporters later, Biden name-dropped Pompeo - indicating that he had seen the secretary of State's remark - and simply laughed. 

Biden, in his press conference, shrugged off the lack of cooperation from the Trump administration.

'I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly. I think it will not help the president's legacy,' he said. 

Pompeo told Fox News he wasn't concerned about Biden's conversations with foreign heads of state. 

'If they are just saying 'hi' I suppose that is not too terribly difficult,' Pompeo said on Tuesday night.

'But make no mistake about it, we have one president and one secretary of state. One national security team at a time. It's appropriate that would be that way,' he added. 

Emily Murphy, the head of the General Services Administration and a Trump appointee, has yet to sign the letter of 'ascertainment' so the transition process can begin

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo followed Presidnet Donald Trump's lead telling reporters Tuesday when asked about the Trump-to-Biden transition, 'There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration' 

Meanwhile, Emily Murphy, the head of the General Services Administration and a Trump appointee, has yet to sign the letter of 'ascertainment' - which acknowledges the winner of the presidential election and formally starts the transition process. 

The letter would give the Biden team access to the federal agencies - Biden has 4,000 jobs to fill - and it would give them access to the $6.3 million in federal funds put aside for the transition.

Biden's transition team said Murphy's inaction was preventing them from having government office space, including access to a secure room to discuss classified material.  And they cannot begin background checks of top cabinet nominees that require top-secret access. 

His transition has released the names of agency review teams that will facilitate the transfer of power. 

The GSA has given no indication of when it will sign off on the transition process. 

The last time the transition process was delayed was in the 2000 presidential election, when the results dragged out over legal battles in Florida. As soon as the Supreme Court ruled in favor of George W. Bush, the transition process began. 

Biden said Tuesday the transition process is going forward on his end. 

'First of all, we are already beginning the transition. We're well under way,'he said. 'And the ability for the administration in any way — by failure to recognize our win does not change the dynamic at all and what we're able to do.' 

'Nothing is going to stop us,' he added.