The moves reflected Biden’s two-pronged strategy for navigating the difficulties surrounding his ascent to the presidency: While he is stepping up attempts to show how President Trump’s unwillingness to cooperate with his team could harm Americans, Biden is also signaling that the roadblocks are not stopping his endeavor to assemble a government prepared to address the crises gripping the nation.

“You know that I’ve been unable to get the briefings that ordinarily would have come by now,” Biden said during a virtual meeting on Tuesday with former national security officials who were gathered to discuss readiness at relevant agencies, according to transition officials. “I just wanted to get your input on what you see ahead. To state the obvious, there’s no presidential responsibility more important than protecting the American people.”…

Biden also continued to take calls from world leaders. On Tuesday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Trump ally, said it had been in touch with Biden. “In a warm conversation, the President-elect reiterated his deep commitment to the State of Israel and its security,” the prime minister’s office wrote on Twitter.

But Biden still does not have access to current administration officials, classified information, funding and other tools normally provided to a president-elect, because the General Services Administration, which is run by a Trump appointee, has not yet recognized Biden as the winner of the election. Trump has yet to concede to Biden, making baseless claims of voter fraud.