Despite signing the agreement as expected before his first term in 2016, this time around, Trump's team has refused to sign two important parts of the transition documents. They have declined to sign the agreement with the General Services Administration, which would provide over 7 million in federal funding as well as office space and cybersecurity support. This particular agreement also includes an ethics pledge. Trump's Team also refused to sign an agreement that would allow the FBI to conduct background checks and review security clearances of transition staff.
Trump's refusal to sign the G.S.A. could have serious implications in terms of funding and national security. Trump's team refused federal funding in favor of privately raising transition money. Although they pledged to refuse foreign donations and disclose all donors, this would allow the Trump team to raise as much money as they want for the transition. Trump also refused secure office space for meetings, and secure communication lines. Susie Wiles, Trump's pick for Chief of Staff, says this is to allow "cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power. However, this could obviously pose a national security risk.
Finally, Trump's team refused to sign an agreement with the Department of Justice that would allow the FBI to review security clearances of members of Trump's "landing teams", people who integrate with government agencies before and during the transition to the next administration. Trump's team is also bypassing background checks for cabinet picks, instead opting to use private organizations. This all points to Trump's lack of trust in federal organizations like the FBI, and unfortunately could hold up the transition process, as the Biden administration cannot legally share highly sensitive information with members of Trump's team who have not been cleared.
Despite the refusal to sign multiple key parts of the transition documents, it is a good sign that some agreements are in place. The Biden administration certainly had to settle for a compromise as Trump continued holding out, but now that communications are open, things can proceed more smoothly. It is certainly a good sign considering the, let's just say "difficulties" of the last transition.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/27/politics/trump-transition-ethics-pledge/index.html
16 comments:
This is interesting because we can see the tension between executive power and institutional trust. There's a transparency issue when he's opting for private fundraising given that as a business man he does have conflict of interest with a good number of big money out there that are potential donors to commissions. This reflects his broader distrust of federal institutions and it doesn't exactly lay a good foundation for future projects. His team insisting on writing a separate ethics pledge also poses doubts because they can frame things differently such that it deregulates the Trump administration from doing things that weren't deemed ethical based on past norms set by the institution. So far the Biden administration has been willing to peacefully transfer the power but Trump's limited willingness to cooperate makes it more tricky than usual.
How is Trump declining cybersecurity support when he has accused Tiktok of stealing Americans' personal data? He has threatened to shut down Tiktok because he is supposedly very concerned for the cybersecurity of Americans, but here he is refusing to sign an agreement that would get rid of this pressing issue for him. It seems too hypocritical, unless Trump doesn't trust the federal cybersecurity systems the same way he doesn't trust the Chinese government. This distrust may play out to be a big issue, because the situation now seems to be Trump and his private cabinet against the United States. Trump won't even let the FBI into his life. What does he have to hide?
It's amusing that Trump wrote his own ethics pledge, and by purposefully leaving out provisions related to conflicts of interest, it implies his selfishness to do what's best for him. I feel like this is foreshadowing presidential pardons for himself for the white collar crimes that he has committed, and while this brief interruption of the transition process might seem small at first, we could see a lot more of these problems between the two parties. I'd also like to point out that many of these background checks are being done by private corporations, something Trump has always favored, so there could be some corruption to see if his cabinet members don't have the sparkliest reputations.
This situation is definitely interesting and shows how much tension still exists between the two administrations. It feels like there’s some hypocrisy from Trump’s team—especially around privacy concerns and ethics. For someone who’s criticized others for a lack of transparency, refusing a standard ethics pledge and avoiding FBI background checks for key personnel seems like a contradiction. Plus, opting out of federal funding and secure office spaces might look like independence, but it could actually risk national security.
The continuous, blatant disrespect for the process irks me in an office that is supposedly so bound by cherishing the Constitution and its processes. So he didn't sign an ethics pledge, not too surprising. The fact that his own ethics pledge has the clause about conflict of interests removed suggests a few things: first, that Trump does not want to be bound and is already picking fights with those around him and the American people, and secondly, that he has already been bought in some capacity for right-wing machines and I worry about the future of this country with regards to a president that doesn't care about process and how that will reflect upon our allies and world standing. Not a new sentiment, of course, but still a very real one.
By stalling his transition and refusing to accept several of the documents and pledges, Trump demonstrates a clear disregard for existing federal institutions and constitutional processes. Moreover, this isn’t even an isolated incident, but part of a larger pattern of challenging the integrity and security of the government, including Project 2025 and his recent cabinet nominations, chosen not based on merit but by how well they support his agenda. This is a clear message that he intends to do things his own way, no matter how it impacts others or what the consequences may be. Perhaps this is just a glimpse into his plans during his presidency, but ultimately, it sets a dangerous precedent for future leaders to bypass rules and ethicalities in order to advance their own agenda.
While private fundraising might allow Trump's team to sidestep federal restrictions, it also raises questions about transparency and accountability.
I wonder how these decisions might influence public trust in the transition process and government institutions. Could this approach become a norm for future transitions, or will it prompt changes in federal laws to ensure compliance? It feels like this situation might erode confidence in an already strained system. What do others think about the long-term implications of this?
I find the refusal of signing the section giving the FBI rights to background check transition staff appalling. Paired with his refusal of the other section on security checks on his “landing staff” it is clear he is attempting to risk the security of the White House. Trump Team even stating: “The transition landing teams will quickly integrate directly into federal agencies and departments with access to documents and policy sharing”. Which directly confirms these persons will have access to important information.
From the start, Trump seems to be uncooperative and trying to set his own rules which could make the future unsatisfactory for many people. Trump's refusal to allow the FBI to do background checks on the transition staff is questionable. Although there aren't any major red flags, the future could be riddled with them. This refusal could bring many hostile and polarized people into a powerful position that could rock America. Could they be spies? I doubt it, but this still brings in the question of why Trump wouldn't allow a background check which is a major security issue.
This is a really interesting article focus--- I had not heard about selections of this on the news until this point. I think you bring up an excellent point about what is at stake if ALL of these articles aren't passed; specifically about the importances of clearances, and other White House staff not protecting these individuals with security. Interestingly enough, you would think the man who has had multiple assassination attempts in the last year would WANT extra protection, yet I guess not apparently. Additionally, one must remember that the White House is home to many precious documents; albeit historical or classified, if there are a bunch of uncleared, wacky cabinet + staff picks roaming around in the heart of America, that will not end well. (Also recall the history of Trump illegally holding federal classified documents, these measures in place that haven't been signed would prevent against such happenings).
His conviction on felony counts from hush money trials are demonstrations of his scheming and untrustworthy character. First he refuses federal funding to ensure national security for the vague reason of allowing cabinet members to being critical preparations, and wrote their own ethics agreement to protect his ability to act in his own self-interest. Refusing background checks is especially suspicious and makes me wonder what more he is hiding, and how others don't notice the red flags.
Honestly I think Trump is somewhat learning from the mistakes of his first term. He knows he can't take the same tyrannical approach as he once wanted to, as the government is a democracy (which he often seems to forget). By actually signing the transition documents and not creating as much of a fuss as he did before, he shows how he also wants a peaceful assumption of power. But, I also think of how ironic it is that he chooses when and where he wants to take the peaceful approach. In an election he lost, he made sure the door slammed on the way out. In this sense he is extremely childish. If he wins there will be peace, but if not he'll make as much chaos as possible. However, his immoral beliefs still shine through in at his refusal to sign the ethics pledge. Of course he wouldn't sign a document that describes the exact opposite of who he is. I don't think it is possible for Trump to think through anything without thinking of his own interests. Overall, Trump has shown some growth in his willingness to sign but I just see this as a ploy to gain back some support from the people and government before he officially begins his 2nd term.
It seems odd that agreements such as these can be bypassed or refused to be signed by Trump and his legal team. Considering Trump is a convicted felon and he has nominated people to be on his team who are accused of crimes, it is unreasonable that background checks should be allowed to be run privately. I'm sure Trump is trying to make a statement about the justice system and the FBI being flawed after his conviction, however refusing to sign anything that tries to ensure a peaceful transfer of power is concerning considering his track record.
This refusal to sign some key documents should raise some concerns to the people. Although everything else with the Biden to Trump transition has been going smoothly, refusing to sign these documents can be somewhat concerning. Refusing to sign the document that allows the FBI to do background checks for cabinet picks can not only slow the process but it can also be a danger for the people as they wouldn’t be able to share sensitive information to the cabinet picks because of this. The same thing goes for the other documents he didn’t want to sign G.S.A. which is a lack of federal funding which could also harm the American people. It seems like Trump’s team has a goal or plan in mind but it’s hard to know if it's for the benefit of the American people or are they benefiting themselves. When Trump is involved, there is always something more complicated and lots of tension, especially because it's transitioning from a democratic party to a republican party. With Trump’s last term and with everything else he is accused of, it seems like he is making some big changes but only time will tell if it’s for good or bad.
I think it's pretty worrying that Trump won't sign the ethics pledge, or allow the FBI to clear his cabinet picks. It shows that Trump could have a lack of trust in the government, despite being elected as the next president. It may create tension later between the executive branch and the other sections of the government, especially if there isn't mutual trust between the groups. It will be interesting to see how the Biden administration will pass on classified information if Trump's picks are not cleared with the FBI. Because it's information the Trump administration will have to get, so maybe they'll have to concede on that or the government will have to settle for private background checks.
I that this situation might impact future transitions, something that many presidents in the past simply respected and abided by. Trump’s team continuing to avoid signing these key documents and circumvent these checks could certainly lead to a change in how transitions are handled in the future, risking the safety and security of our nation. This refusal to accept federal support and background checks may actually lead to new laws or procedures to make sure future administrations can’t bypass these important security steps, because as stated before, it can definitely put our nation's security at risk. Although this may be another one of Trump's jabs to generate political clout, using this threat to generate change can bring us in the right direction.
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