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Why did Trump's transition team come later than other presidential transitions?
On November 5, 2024, Donald Trump won the US presidential election and subsequently launched his second transition team formation. However, compared with the transition teams of previous presidents, Trump's team has been delayed, which has caused various speculations from the outside world. From the establishment of the transition team to Trump's official inauguration, various events during this period not only attracted attention to the daily operations of the transition, but also involved some larger political and administrative issues.
Trump officially announced the establishment of a transition team on August 16, which was considered unusually slow at this point in time.
After Trump was officially nominated as a candidate at the 2024 Republican National Convention, he did not begin to form a transition team until mid-August, which was almost less than three months before the election. Many analysts believe that such a delay is unprecedented of. In the past, many presidents began transitions as early as spring, which not only ensured a smooth takeover of the new government but also maintained the continuity of government operations to a certain extent.
In ordinary transition procedures, the president-elect usually signs a series of ethics and transparency agreements in advance.
However, Trump's transition team has been extremely cautious in signing ethics and transparency agreements, and has even refused to sign standard agreements. According to reports, the internal ethics commitment signed by the Trump team appears to be looser than the contracts of other candidates, which directly results in the US General Services Administration being unable to provide necessary transition support, such as office space and IT equipment.
Princeton’s Partners in Public Service called the delay “a massive and unnecessary national security risk” in a report.
The organization warned that such a delay could affect national security because resources and assistance from the transitional government were not forthcoming in time. Additionally, Trump's transition team faces internal tensions, particularly over conflicts of interest among some of its core members.
With the arrival of November, Trump’s transition team began to gradually receive federal transition assistance. The delay in this process triggered widespread attention and discussion inside and outside the political circle. In fact, under normal circumstances, the team will not face such a difficult situation after the candidate is defeated.
Trump’s team did not sign the transition agreement until November 26, allowing his staff to begin working with federal agencies.
This signing means that Trump's team can legally access important government information and begin to select cabinet members, but at this time many transition efforts are seriously lagging behind. Errors in key judgments and timing in co-planning the transition have further raised questions about the effectiveness of the Trump administration.
During this transition period, Trump has repeatedly stated that he will quickly end the Russia-Ukraine war. This promise has raised high hopes among voters, but it has also increased the pressure on his team. Due to the delay, Trump's promise failed to materialize and became another subject of ridicule.
The New York Times once reported that Trump has not made any substantive efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war since his election.
As the transition process unfolds, so does the appointment and selection of Trump's team in various areas. Although nominations for some key positions were made quickly, good organizational structure and transition efficiency did not follow.
Many observers attribute Trump's transition delay to his own dissatisfaction and challenges to traditional political procedures. Does this mean that future political transitions require a new operating model? Maybe this is another opportunity for thinking triggered by Trump?
