Trump to Aid Biden Transition Despite Not Conceding

Due to a record volume of ballots submitted by mail, the announcement of election outcomes experienced a delay compared to previous years. However, what was initially anticipated as an election week extended into a month-long period of political contention, as President Trump initiated an extraordinary campaign to challenge the validity of the election results and impede the transfer of power, even as states formally confirmed Biden’s victory.

President Trump finally signaled an acceptance of the election results on Monday, though without explicitly stating it. While not a formal concession, it represented the closest approximation to one thus far.

“… In the interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same,” Trump posted on Twitter, appearing to challenge a recent statement by GSA Administrator Emily Murphy asserting that the White House had not exerted influence over her decision to postpone the transition process. The General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for formally recognizing election results and facilitating the transition at the federal level.

Despite the obstacles, President-elect Biden’s transition efforts continued, with the incoming administration outlining components of his strategy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and identifying prospective appointees. However, with the GSA Administrator withholding $6.3 million in federal funding allocated for the transition, Biden’s capabilities were limited in certain crucial areas. Murphy’s highly unusual delay in acknowledging the election results also prevented the president-elect from accessing secure government communications and receiving essential briefings from federal agencies, including those focused on the pandemic response.

Beyond facilitating Biden’s transition, Trump’s statements and the GSA’s eventual cooperation may assist the country in moving forward in another significant way. For several weeks, unsubstantiated election theories circulated widely online, prompting numerous Trump supporters to criticize major social media platforms, which provided information about the election results and restricted certain types of inaccurate information. These theories were frequently disseminated by President Trump himself, who promoted unsubstantiated allegations of fraud related to mail-in ballots and voting systems while refusing to acknowledge defeat.

The president’s online base of support may not readily accept the election outcome, but they are likely to align with his direction—and currently, it appears Trump will indicate acknowledgement of defeat.