The “lame duck” period: what else can Trump do before leaving the White House?

Donald Trump returning to the White House after the announcement of the presidential results, November 7, 2020. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

Text by: Romain Philips Follow

7 min

Joe Biden will take office on January 20 and until this inauguration, Donald Trump will remain at the helm of the world's leading power.

A period that generally benefits American presidents who no longer have their presidency to lose.

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After four days of uncertainty around the counting of the US presidential election, it was finally Joe Biden who won.

He will therefore officially become the

, after having gone through the period known as the " 

 " (canard lame, in French), the few weeks during which the outgoing president remains in power before the official taking office of his. successor.

During this period,

will keep control of the executive and Joe Biden will take note of the files, follow the briefings of the intelligence services, consult and appoint his team: ministers, advisers, key officials.

Traditionally, this post-election period is an opportunity for losing presidents, who are no longer constrained by fear of not being re-elected, to make certain decisions that they would not have taken before for fear of breaking with their electorate. .

If this period of transition can go relatively well between the administration in place and the new one, the history of the

has already been marked by

chaotic

" 

.

This year could well end up at the top of the list.

Donald Trump's refusal to concede defeat, the appeals brought to contest Biden's victory and the multiplication of accusations of fraud are somewhat indicative.

Especially since Joe Biden does not intend to waste time.

On Saturday, during his victory speech, he has already announced

so that a plan is operational from January 20, 2021, the day of his inauguration.

" 

 " said political scientist, journalist and specialist on the United States, Marie-Christine Bonzom.

Not sure that the ephemeral tenant of the White House is of the same opinion.

►To (re) listen: Hubert Védrine: "The Democrats will want to reinstall the American leadership"

" 

 ," adds the one that covered seven US presidential elections and five US presidents, from George Bush Sr. to Donald Trump.

Referring to the difficulties that had been encountered during the transition between George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000, she recalls that any transition can be difficult in the United States, especially when, as for this election, the results are contested and appeals are made. judicial proceedings are in progress.

Especially since the dispute between Bush and Gore concerned Florida while that between Trump and Biden spans several states.

"

 territory," concedes the political scientist.

Cooperation or resistance

Could Donald Trump therefore take advantage of these coming weeks to put a damper on his successor?

" 

" Trump replied a few weeks before the election.

And since the ballot, the president has remained silently in the White House, allowing himself a round of golf in Virginia and repeating his accusations of fraud on Twitter.

In any case, he has the means to harm the future administration, and his four years at the head of the United States has shown that thunderous decisions do not frighten him.

, Joe Biden's teams have been working on this transition for several weeks, anticipating a possible lack of cooperation from the White House.

The Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell reassured by declaring that “ 

” there would be a peaceful transition.

In its August 2020 report, the

(TIP), bringing together more than 100 current and former senior government and campaign officials, academics, journalists, survey experts and former federal government officials and States, prophesied in a fictitious scenario certain hiccups of this election. 

Experts were anticipating an election where the winner would not be known the day after the poll, and where a "

"

campaign 

on postal voting, legal remedies and accusations of fraud would emanate from the Trump clan.

Regarding the post-election transition, they were already advancing a “ 

 ” period during which Trump could “ 

 ”.

Decrees, pardons and dismissals ...

The outgoing president could also take advantage of this period during which he is freed from electoral constraints to sign presidential decrees and implement his program one last time.

However, this scenario has its limitations.

Between the application deadline and the possibility of going back on these decrees of the new president, the utility of the maneuver is quickly limited. 

Resorting to presidential pardons has also become a habit for presidents in times of transition.

" 

 ," recalls Marie Bonzom.

Respectively, the last two presidents pardoned 140 and 330 people before leaving the White House.

Trump would therefore have the opportunity to pardon his relatives entangled in court cases.

In several American media, the names of Michael Flynn, his former National Security adviser implicated in the investigation into the suspicions of Russian interference, Paul Manafort, or Steve Bannon are mentioned.

A power that the president has already exercised during his mandate with some controversial people.

► See also: With Trump, the United States is debating the president's right to pardon himself

The transition period can also be an opportunity for an outgoing president to “settle scores” in a way.

The dismissal of a leading personality can therefore occur during the " 

 ".

Donald Trump could therefore try to dismiss

, the immunologist at the head of the White House crisis cell in charge of managing the Covid-19 pandemic, or the current director of the FBI,

who declined to investigate the Biden family.

Finally, the White House - and its equipment - can also be the victim of this transition

 Joe Biden's team should expect a few surprises when they arrive at the scene on January 20.

In the United States, it is common for objects to disappear between two terms of office.

Thus, when George W. Bush left his functions, his teams took with them the letters “W” from the keyboards of the White House computers.

Welcome to the hite House.

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