Washington D.C. [United States], Jan. 20 : Incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that nearly 50 senior Obama administration appointees have been asked by President-elect Donald Trump to remain in their posts after his inauguration in order to ensure continuity in the government.

The Obama holdovers include the highest-ranking career officials at key national security agencies like the Pentagon and the State Department.

Spicer said Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work and America's third-ranking diplomat, Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon, will remain in their agencies until a replacement is named by the Senate, reports VOA news.

The Obama administration's special representative for the fight against the Islamic State group, Brett McGurk and the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Nicholas Rasmussen will also remain in their posts.

Treasury Department's top official for terrorism and financial intelligence, Adam Szubin has also been asked to stay on his post.

Retired General James Mattis's name for the post in the Pentagon is likely to be confirmed on Friday after the inauguration ceremony.

A Senate vote for former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to succeed John Kerry as secretary of state is not expected until Monday or Tuesday. (ANI)