Trump Tackles Transition

By Autumn Pattison 11/18/16

Donald Trump shockingly defeated his opponent Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, and he now has two months to prepare for the White House. The businessman will be the first president in history to have no political, diplomatic or military executive experience, and his list of tasks to accomplish before the inauguration on Jan. 20 is staggering. Mr. Trump will have to repair many relationships he fractured while on the campaign trail, as well as put together his cabinet.

Protests broke out in at least 26 cities around the country from Boston to L.A. Wednesday in response to the announcement of Trump’s election. Thousands gathered outside Trump Tower in New York, and marched all the way to Union Square in a show of opposition. The hashtags “Not My President” and “Still With Her” trended on Twitter throughout the U.S. On the contrary, the 2 million people that cast their vote for Trump spent the night defending their candidate, and celebrating what is sure to be a major change in the way American government operates.

President-elect Trump met with sitting President Barack Obama at the White House last week to discuss the first steps in a peaceful transition of power. Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, also met with his current counterpart, Vice President Joe Biden, while future First Lady Melania Trump sat down with Michelle Obama. The meeting between Trump and Obama was expected to be tense and awkward, given Trump spent months insisting Obama was born in Kenya, and thus unfit for the presidency, while Obama took to the Clinton campaign trail to articulate why he believed Mr. Trump was unqualified for the position. However, President Obama said in a speech Wednesday that a peaceful transition of power was a “hallmark” of American democracy, and thus graciously hosted Trump and his team at the White House. Trump and Obama share the same goal of doing what is best for the country.