Page 4 - Turmoil in America: The 2020 Election

CHAPTER FIVE

The US Capitol

Under Siege

Throughout November and December 2020 and into the
early days of January 2021, as president-elect Joe Biden
planned his new administration, Donald Trump steadfastly
refused to concede the election. Moreover, Trump refused
to make the resources of the federal government available
to Biden to help the incoming president prepare to begin
governing. The period between the election and the in-
auguration of a new president is unoffi cially known as the
“transition.” During this period, high-ranking offi cials in the
current administration meet with the incoming president
to provide briefi ngs on the major issues the new president
is sure to face following the inauguration. In the past, in-
cumbent administrations have always worked closely with
presidents-elect and their aides to ensure smooth transi-
tions, which all participants have agreed is in the best in-
terest of the country.
But for several weeks, Trump refused to make his aides
and other top offi cials available for interviews with Biden. One
of the top offi cials who traditionally meets with the incoming
president is the secretary of state—the nation’s chief diplo-
mat. The secretary of state is expected to brief the incoming
president on trouble spots around the world. This includes
places where icy relations among neighboring nations may
escalate into warfare or other places where anti-American
feelings may endanger the lives of US citizens.

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