The president-elect has 75 days to prepare for his return to the White House and choose the team he wants to surround himself with. According to specialists interviewed by franceinfo, the Republican billionaire is “better prepared” than when he came to power in 2016.
He is preparing his return to the White House. Donald Trump, who won a large victory against Kamala Harris during the American presidential election, has a little more than two months to organize his inauguration, after his inauguration on January 20, 2025. In the United States, the passage The relay between two heads of state lasts several weeks and includes numerous stages, notably the appointment of the new government.
But the transition starts well before Election Day. “It started several months ago, when the Center for Presidential Transition, a non-partisan organization, contacted the teams of the two main candidates”, explains Todd Belt, professor and director of the political management program at George Washington University. The goal is to begin discussing with everyone their future policies, future recruitments and the needs that future administrations will have. On the White House side, a council was created to oversee this transition and guide its implementation in all agencies and departments, specifies the Center for Presidential Transition.
Once the winner of the election is known, “funds have been released to allow it to begin recruitment”continues Todd Belt. The task is substantial: the president-elect must appoint around 4,000 people, from members of his cabinet and his government to the heads of federal agencies. “Environ 1 200 of these appointments must be validated by the Senate”adds Donald Moynihan, professor of public policy at the University of Michigan. These recruitments “require detailed checks, to avoid any controversy over the chosen profiles, but also for security reasons”.
“During the transition, the president-elect is in a way the director of human resources of the United States.”
Todd Belt, professor at George Washington Universityat franceinfo
“The idea is to arrive at the nomination with a team ready to work”specifies Todd Belt. To do this, those in charge of the outgoing administration begin to transmit information to their successors during the transition period. “This prevents there being a ‘gap’ between the two teams, particularly on issues of national security and international relations”underlines the professor at George Washington University.
Donald Trump has already fallen behind in this process, reported the New York Times in September. According to the American daily, the Republican billionaire's team did not sign any of the three documents usually completed by candidates before the election, in particular “ethical rules to avoid any conflict of interest”. A refusal which initially prevented him from accessing certain funds planned to install his future administration, but also from starting his team's briefings on national security issues.
This situation does not surprise Donald Moynihan. “This is a sign that Donald Trump is more passionate about the campaign than the government: he is not particularly worried about these details”explains the political scientist. This was already the case in 2016, when the process was unusually long and communication with the Obama administration unusually complicated.
“During Donald Trump’s first term, the transition was not well prepared and, by all accounts, it went poorly.”
Donald Moynihan, political scientist at the University of Michiganat franceinfo
It must be said that in 2016, the Republican candidate fired the director of his transition team, former governor Chris Christie, just after the election. “Chris Christie had experience but was sidelined due to poor relations with Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushnerdetails Todd Belt. His entire transition plan was thrown out the window and the management of the process was handed over to people who had no expertise in this area.”
The Republican leader is nevertheless “better prepared this time”judge Todd Belt. “He's already been through this process once: he knows how it works and seems ready to follow it through”he notes. His transition team was formed during the summer and notably includes his future vice-president JD Vance, former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, as well as two of his sons, Donald Trump Junior and Eric Trump. It is led by Howard Lutnick, former CEO of an investment fund, and Linda McMahon, a member of his previous administration, according to the Associated Press agency.
Another change compared to 2016: this time, Donald Trump intends to appoint people to key positions “who are more loyal to him”notes Donald Moynihan. “The first time, he listened to the suggestions of Republican Party officials, appointing officials who quickly left the administration publicly criticizing him, recalls Todd Belt. It was embarrassing for Donald Trump, who this time will surround himself with people he trusts.” The first name was made public Thursday, November 7: it is Susie Wiles, architect of the billionaire's victorious campaign, who will be his chief of staff at the White House.
The elected president can also rely on “a large network of supporters, who are loyal to him and try to find names for nominations”notes Donald Moynihan. This is the whole goal of Project 2025, an action plan established by an ultraconservative group in anticipation of the billionaire's return to the White House. The document thus planned to recruit and train people so that they occupy key positions in the new administration, “to enable a quick and smooth transition”insists Todd Belt.
The handover with Joe Biden should also be less complex than in 2020. At the time, Donald Trump contested the victory of his Democratic rival in the presidential election and refused to start the process. It took three weeks for the funds allocated to the winner to be released, recalls the New York Times. A scenario which should not recur in 2024. “Beyond practical issues, presidential administrations generally see this process as a symbol of their ability to guarantee a peaceful transfer of power”insisted Donald Moynihan.
This is also the commitment that Joe Biden made on Thursday, November 7. During a speech, the outgoing president promised to ensure “a peaceful and orderly transition” with Donald Trump. He also announced that he had invited his predecessor, and soon-to-be successor, to the White House to discuss the handover between their administrations. Four years after being reluctant to take part in this process, the billionaire's team assured Thursday that it “I was looking forward to this meeting”.
