President-elect Donald Trump is poised to return to the Oval Office with more political power than he possessed entering his first term, according to allies and even some Democrats — despite some of his controversial handpicked nominees and immediate lame-duck status.
Trump’s transition operation leading up to Inauguration Day in January 2017 was disorganized and unprepared. Cabinet and senior White House staff selections were slow. But this time, Trump has been naming people to serve in his second administration at a faster clip.
Republican lawmakers and strategists say they see a more professional transition entity and a more prepared president-elect. They also have said Trump learned a few things from his first four years in Washington and realizes the next two years will be critical — particularly since he learned what most presidents do: Midterm elections can be brutal for an incumbent.
