Donald Trump’s Pentagon transition debacle unravels

| 5:27 pm EST December 18, 2020
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It’s not entirely clear what Trump hoped to accomplish by cutting off Pentagon cooperation with the Biden transition. But now that it’s gone public, the Pentagon is already backing down and insisting it was just a misunderstanding.

It’s the latest reminder that Trump is crippled by his loss and has no real muscle left on this kind of stuff. He can throw a tantrum and generate a scary round of headlines that gets him a few hours of attention, but then the whole thing falls flat, and the transition away from Trump continues.

Speaking of transitions, the Daily Beast is reporting that Donald Trump is now asking his friends if he should go back to doing the Apprentice. It’s further evidence that Trump knows he’s lost the election and that he can’t just magically remain in office. It’s notable, however, that Trump is still fantasizing about a post-presidency life that doesn’t involve him going to prison. As long as he keeps that fantasy alive, he’s more likely to go quietly.