Trump Team Officially Signs Transition Agreement with Biden White House to Formalize Transition — Will Be Privately Funded and Will Not Use Government Technology or Buildings
By Jim Hᴏft Nov. 26, 2024
Unlike previous transitions, however, Trump has chosen to forgo federal funding and General Services Administration (GSA) resources, opting instead for a privately funded and self-sufficient operation that will not utilize government technology or office space.
This bold decision reflects Trump’s commitment to saving taxpayers’ money while avoiding the pitfalls of entrenched bureaucracy and potential interference from the “Deep State.”
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with the Biden administration allows Trump’s team to access non-public government information, receive briefings, and deploy transition personnel to federal agencies.
Unlike previous presidential transitions, Trump’s team will not sign the second agreement with the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide office space, technology, or federal funding, according to NPR.
This decision allows Trump’s transition team to sidestep traditional government processes, which have been weaponized by entrenched bureaucrats in the past.
Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming Chief of Staff, emphasized the significance of this move.
“After completing the selection process of his incoming Cabinet, President-elect Trump is entering the next phase of his administration’s transition by executing a Memorandum of Understanding with President Joe Biden’s White House,” Wiles said in a statement.
“This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power.”
According to the press release:
The Transition will not utilize taxpayer funding for costs related to the transition, which is consistent with President Trump’s commitment to save taxpayers’ hard-earned money,
The Transition will not use government buildings or technology provided by GSA and will operate as a self-sufficient organization. This organizational autonomy means a streamlined process that guarantees the Trump Administration is ready on Day 1.
The Transition already has existing security and information protections built in, which means we will not require additional government and bureaucratic oversight.
The Transition has an existing Ethics Plan for those involved, which will meet the requirements for personnel to seamlessly move into the Trump Administration. Pursuant to the Transition Enhancement Act, that Ethics Plan will be posted to the website of the General Services Administration website.
The Transition landing teams will quickly integrate directly into federal agencies and departments with access to documents and policy sharing. Per the agreement, the Transition will disclose the landing team members to the Biden Administration.
The agreement dictates that the Trump-Vance Transition will utilize private funding, again, providing cost savings to American taxpayers. Donors to the Transition will be disclosed to the public. Consistent with Transition policy already in place, the Transition will not accept foreign donations.
The refusal to sign a separate MOU with the GSA is seen by many as a strategic move to protect the Trump team from the mishaps of 2016. Critics of the “Deep State” have pointed to the weaponization of the previous transition process, including the targeting of Gen. Michael Flynn and the infamous James Comey briefing that triggered the Russia collusion narrative.
Author Hans Mahncke alleges that “Trump says that his transition team will not use government resources because they want to save money. However, this is merely a smokescreen. What’s really happening is that Trump has learned from past experiences, particularly what they did to [Gen. Flynn] during the previous transition, as well as the fake briefing Trump got from Comey, which was used as a pretext to weaponize the Russia collusion hoax. This time, there will be no involvement from deep state operatives, no bureaucratic hindrances, and, most importantly, no spying.”
