President-elect Donald Trump has yet to submit transition agreements with President Joe Biden's administration, citing concerns over the mandatory ethics pledge aimed at avoiding conflicts of interest once in office. Trump's past business dealings have faced scrutiny for potential conflicts of interest, particularly his foreign business ties.
A source familiar with the process revealed that negotiations are ongoing with the Biden administration regarding the ethics agreement, a requirement under the Presidential Transition Act. The ethics pledge was updated by Trump ally Sen. Ron Johnson and signed into law by Trump in March 2020.
The Trump team missed pre-election deadlines to initiate transition activities with the General Services Administration and the White House, raising concerns among experts about national security preparedness on day one.
While a Trump adviser indicated that the president-elect plans to sign the ethics pledge, the transition team's current focus is on selecting and vetting candidates for top Cabinet positions. The adviser downplayed the missed deadlines, stating they are not a significant concern.
Nonpartisan watchdogs and Democrats have cautioned that the failure to finalize these agreements could pose a risk to national security. This echoes past instances, such as the 2000 transition period, where delays in transition activities were identified as contributing factors to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.
