More Trump chaos
If Donald Trump wins the election on November 5, Joe Biden will still be President through January 20, Inauguration Day. However, Trump is making it increasingly clear that the chaos and disruption to democracy will begin immediately. Yet another democratic norm that we take for granted is set to be bulldozed by a potential Trump-Vance victory, setting the stage by removing a process aimed to ensure a smooth and secure transfer of power between presidential administrations.
The Trump-Vance campaign has not yet signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the White House, a normally routine step that unlocks federal resources such as office space, tech support, and millions of dollars in assistance for the transition team. The Harris-Walz campaign already signed their MOU in mid-September, according to reporting from Rolling Stone. Without a signed MOU, Trump’s transition team would lose out on risk-prevention tools for government coordination, cybersecurity, and transparency.
As you might suspect, this isn’t only about the “I alone can fix it” candidate bucking norms and refusing traditional help. Trump’s motivation for considering not signing the MOU is more selfish and sinister. Avoiding the MOU would allow Trump to bypass fundraising limits. Donations to transition teams are normally capped at $5,000 by the GSA, and the donor list must be disclosed. However, Trump could raise unlimited amounts of money, transparency-free.
While this development may seem to concern bureaucratic details, it’s actually a matter of national security. As a democracy, the United States needs an effective transition process so that each incoming administration is prepared. Opting out of this process leaves the country vulnerable—and its citizens in the dark as to who is buying influence in the new government. In addition, by not signing the MOU, Trump could also avoid submitting an accompanying required ethics pledge, as Politico notes.
This is why if Trump wins on November 5, the nightmarish instability will begin promptly. This is yet another example of how when there is a choice between political power or country, Trump chooses power. Given the opportunity to throw America under the bus, Trump will seize it every time. A Harris-Walz victory on Election Day is the only way to ensure a dystopian Trump second term never happens.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month