PRESIDENT Truman and General Eisenhower met today at the White House. After conferring together by themselves, they met with the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury, the Director of Mutual Security, and General Eisenhower's associates, Senator Lodge and Mr. Dodge.
At the end of the talks, the President and General Eisenhower issued the following statement.
"We have discussed some of the most important problems affecting our country in the sphere of international relations. Information with respect to these problems has been made available to General Eisenhower.
"Under our Constitution the President must exercise his functions until he leaves office, and his successor cannot be asked to share or assume the responsibilities of the Presidency until he takes office.
"We have worked out a framework for liaison and exchange of information between the present administration and the incoming administration, but we have made no arrangements which are inconsistent with the full spirit of our Constitution. General Eisenhower has not been asked to assume any. of the responsibilities of the Presidency until he takes the oath of office.
"We believe, however, that the arrangements we have made for cooperation will be of great value to the stability of our country and to the favorable progress of international affairs.
"We are confident that this meeting and that the arrangements we have made today for liaison and cooperation between the present administration and the new administration furnish additional proof of the ability of the people of this country to manage their affairs with a sense of continuity and with responsibility."
Note: See also Item 326.
Harry S Truman, Joint Statement following a Meeting With the President-Elect. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/231125