How does a presidential transition work?

Transition normally involves a transition team to carry out some pre-election planning by the non-incumbent candidates, and involves consideration of key personnel from the outgoing and incoming presidents’ staffs, requires resources, and includes a host of activities, such as vetting candidates for positions in the …

Who funds the presidential transition team?

Expenses are paid by the General Services Administration (GSA) with taxpayer funds under the Presidential Transition Acts (PTA) of 1963 and 2015. The PTA also permits donations for transition-related expenses. These donations are limited to $5,000 from any person, organization or other entity.

Will there be an orderly transition to a new president?

“There will be an orderly transition just as there has been every four years since 1792.” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, one of Trump’s most significant GOP critics, also weighed in, writing on Twitter: “Any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable.”

Who is responsible for managing the transition to a new president?

Strikingly, Congress placed almost all the responsibility for managing the transition in the hands of career employees. This means that when it comes to matters of transition, the president and those immediately surrounding him are less important than they seem: The real action lies with career staff in the agencies.

Is a transition staffer a federal employee?

This requires an explanation. Under the PTA, transition staffers are not considered federal employees, even though the United States covers their salary (up to the limits of approved funding). But there is an exception.

Can an outgoing president do as much damage as possible?

When it comes to the transition itself— not the niceties that surround it — a little-known body of law and practice places important limitations on the amount of damage even a determined outgoing president can do.