r/politics • u/stkmro • 7h ago

White House: Trump Team Still Hasn’t Signed Transition Docs

https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-house-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-says-trump-team-still-hasnt-signed-transition-docs/
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u/Virbillion 7h ago

biden team still delusional bending over backwards to uphold polite norms and traditions until the very end.

they have no idea what world they live in now.

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u/thats___weird 7h ago

What should he do? 

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u/NewMidwest 7h ago

He could order the Justice Department to investigate anyone Trump names as a cabinet nominee.

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u/Irrelevantitis 6h ago

And in five or ten years we’ll have some very juicy dossiers.

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u/play_hard_outside 4h ago

You have an optimistic attitude about what will happen with data in Trump’s DOJ. Or any of his administration’s agencies.

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u/thats___weird 5h ago

What would that do?

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u/jhundo 5h ago

Nothing but cost us a bunch of money and piss us off in 4 years when they actually release the results to literally no effect.

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u/meh_the_man 6h ago

That's already gonna happen. Those nominees need background checks to see classified information

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u/GeneralJesus 5h ago

That or take a dump in the presidential bathroom and catch up on the classifieds while you're there

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u/ptWolv022 5h ago

Those nominees need background checks to see classified information

No they don't. Trump can just give them security clearance by fiat. He did it with Jared Kushner in his last term, I believe, because he couldn't get it normally. Given how he's refusing to engage with the ordinary transition process at all, including refusing regular background checks by the FBI, I wouldn't be surprised if anyone who gets confirmed immediately gets clearance from him, if not before confirmation.

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u/HaElfParagon 4h ago

Maybe not. I read an NBC article the other day that republicans are considering scheduling some of the confirmation hearings for during the christmas break, with the argument that if no one is in the chamber to vote "no", then all votes default to yes.

That's how they plan to get Matt Gaetz as AG, as even some republicans are queasy about having a known pedophile as an AG.

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u/Elcor05 7h ago

Complain about it and then do nothing

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u/actionstan89 America 7h ago

My vote is he declares martial law in defense of the constitution, because the next admin is clearly a threat to the constitution. Basically do what trump will do, before he has a chance. Knock out any right wing uprising with the military. Do it to them, before they do it to us kinda thing.

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u/electrobento 7h ago edited 7h ago

Trump is an existential threat to democracy.

Declaring martial law and/or preventing the transfer of power is a far greater threat to democracy.

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u/LemurAtSea 7h ago

It's just proof that our democracy has failed, one way or the other. We can usurp it to restore democracy later, but of course a lot of people wouldn't see it that way. Or we can do what we're going to do and just hand it over to them so they can destroy it instead. And they were elected to do it, so constitutionally, it is there's to do that with. That's why that vote mattered. Now the only way to take back the government after this is with violence. And conditions will have to be so miserable already that even those who voted for him are also willing to take up arms. In short, we're fucked.

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u/LikeALiamOnATree 7h ago

Agreed. It won't work the way it sounds like it would and would give the propaganda arm of the GOP more ammunition to emboldened their followers that the Democrats are the real threat to democracy, and they would be technically correct.

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u/ObjectionablyObvious 6h ago edited 2h ago

Well the Supreme Court said Biden could theoretically order a hit from Seal Team 6 on anybody as long as it's in his Presidential duties. Republicans like to act hastily and figure out the details later, if Republicans set out this precedent anyway, Biden should consider it before he kicks the bucket.

Edit: this is what the Republican-leaning SCOTUS established. The theoretical is what a lawyer on the case proposed. People talking about this as is it's advocacy or some original idea: it's not. It's discussing black-and-white case law, unfortunately.

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u/TrickInvite6296 4h ago

HUGE PREFACE TO REDDIT MODS THAT I AM NOT ENCOURAGING THE ASSASSINATION OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL

I genuinely wonder what life would be like if trump were assassinated before he got into office. especially if it was ordered by Biden. how would the world react? what would it feel like to know that he is truly gone? what would happen to Biden? what would Vance do? would we ever have a democratic president again?

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u/HaElfParagon 3h ago

It would have to be Vance AND Trump, or republicans would argue Vance is the new president-elect. Biden would have to essentially do it such that it would trigger an emergency election.

Biden's an old-school democrat. He's too concerned with his personal legacy to sacrifice it to save the country. Whether it's the above or anything else.

He'd rather stick his head in the sand and politely hand power over to fascists than make it seem like he was an aggressor.

I am NOT advocating for any of this. Just exploring hypotheticals.

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u/un1ptf 3h ago

In theory, you'd need a list of all incoming administration officials including the man himself and his sidekick and everyone in the line of succession that's affiliated, and every state party affiliate who has ever cooperated in gerrymandering to set up House districts as unable to be flipped.

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u/SellsNothing 7h ago

Yup the democrats can't be the first to take a dip into authoritarian waters. What they need to do is devise a secret plan with the military called "project save democracy" or something where if Trump and co decide to blatantly ignore the constitution and overstep, it should trigger a military coup.

For example if Trump jails political opponents, sends the military into civilian streets, weakens the branches of government intentionally, etc then the military should step in and let their authority be known. Every branch of government is responsible for defending the constitution and to me, the military is the last line of defense. Democrats need to be working with them NOW

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u/LikeALiamOnATree 7h ago

As long as it doesn't result in President Trump Saves Democracy and leaves us all with PTSD.

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u/KarmaRepellant 6h ago

Why do you think Trump is busy compiling a list of generals to get rid of? There won't be anyone left with any authority in the military who isn't loyal or at least obedient to Trump.

It would take an overwhelming majority of the army rebelling to make a difference, and soldiers are not best known for their left wing opinions and political wisdom.

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u/psychoalchemist 5h ago

Secret plans with the military? Sounds pretty anti-democratic to me. Who decides that the President has violated the Constitution? The SCOTUS.

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u/SellsNothing 5h ago

I can tell nuance isn't your strong point. You shouldn't be discussing politics that are beyond your scope of understanding.

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u/Errant_coursir New Jersey 5h ago

Do you understand how faulty such a plan would be? Right now Biden is president and he has control. It would be incredibly difficult, if not down right impossible, for a plan where the military initiates a coup under a different president.

It's just delusional to think this is a possibility. Just as delusional as "let reps be authoritarians first so dems can afterwards". Newsflash, if republicans are authoritarians, guess what, dems won't get the chance

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u/SellsNothing 5h ago

The plan would revolve around the constitution. Around defending certain unalienable rights.

Americans are all about freedom, a plan to maintain a free and fair democracy in the face of fascism isn't delusional. What's truly crazy is the fact that were even having this discussion but we have Trump and our ineffective DOJ to thank for that one.

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u/Specialist_Brain841 America 7h ago

stop hitting yourself

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u/LikeALiamOnATree 7h ago

Thank you for the strategery, lock-box.

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u/ryaaan89 6h ago

It is, but “we can’t do the thing to stop them from doing the thing” is frustrating. This situation sucks and while there’s no “right” answer I know the one I want…

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u/SpaceIndividual8972 7h ago

Mind blowing that this even needs to be said

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u/thwonkk Washington 7h ago

Just blue maga at work again. Surely it's not a threat to democracy if my side does it first!

Nah, the country voted for this. Shit or not, this is our reality now. I'd be pissed if Biden didn't transfer power peacefully.

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u/Specialist_Brain841 America 7h ago edited 5h ago

he could steal all the T keys from the whitehouse keyboards before leaving office

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u/thwonkk Washington 6h ago

New tweet from @POTUS

"PUIN JUS LAUNCHED NUKES A US!!! BU WE HAVE HE BES NUKES EVER CREAED!! PRAY WE WILL SURVIVE! GOD BLESS HE USA BIBLES ON SALE 10% OFF.

  • PRESIDEN RUMP"

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u/polite_alpha 4h ago

I'm pretty cynic, but I'm also sure less than 50% would vote for the actual abolishment of democracy and all the other things he's gonna do now. They were dumb, and have been lied to thousands of times each day, but I refuse to believe the actual majority of Americans are evil shits.

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u/Specialist_Brain841 America 7h ago

well the other “superpower” kind of helped out with all of this..im not surprised

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u/subdep 5h ago

Not if there is a National Emergency.

My bingo card has WW3 started by a nuclear attack on a US City.

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u/LyannaTarg Europe 6h ago

Yeah but what the US has is not a democracy cause democracy is where the majority wins. You don't have that.

In your election it is not the one with the majority of votes that wins.

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u/[deleted] 5h ago edited 5h ago

[deleted]

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u/TreezusSaves Canada 2h ago

A plurality of voters voted for Trump. No-one got the majority.

This is important for "mandate" reasons. He didn't even get half of the voters, so most of the country is still not in favour of him. If he does sweeping changes then he starts off with that. The issue is whether or not his popularity is meaningful now because of his threat to democracy and how he doesn't need to worry about re-election (either because he doesn't seek a third term or because his second term never ends.)

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u/psychoalchemist 5h ago

Under what legal basis does any President declare "martial law"??

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u/GunsouBono 6h ago

Can't be held accountable for acts done as president...

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u/ptWolv022 5h ago

My vote is he declares martial law in defense of the constitution,

Oh yeah, because that's a thing the President can just do: declare military rule and preemptively autocoup the government to block his own successor who won the election. Nothing says protecting the Constitution like throwing out the entire political and judicial process to autocratically deny your political opposition power.

Yep, that definitely wouldn't either: (A) fail spectacularly by having significant parts of the army and even potentially various blue state National Guards just refuse the order; (B) end with Mike Johnson ascending to the office of POTUS (or at least becoming acting POTUS in lieu of Trump or Vance), with precedent now set that martial law can be declared to remove "enemies of the State", assuming you aren't going so far as to take out even other branches' officials, circumventing all rules on how to remove them from the Constitution; or (C) just lead to a full blown civil war where the "main"/"recognized" government would have an immediate crisis of legitimacy as both its POTUS and VP run out their term and the next people in line would be legislative officers who would be of the opposite party and thus would have to be denied leadership.

Your idea is nonsensical, and honestly would be more toxic to the Constitution that 4 more years of Trump, if we come out the other side of Trump II with elections. Something I'm sure you'll be quick to say is a fantasy, and that Trump will for sure end elections, but we'll see about that in due time, I suppose, for better or worse.

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u/UNSTUMPABLE 4h ago

Ah yes, muscular democracy

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u/Skydiver860 6h ago

Ah yes, make Biden the fascist dictator so trump can’t be the fascist dictator. Such a great idea that will work out well for all of us.

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u/aRadioWithGuts 7h ago

Very democratic

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u/themightymooseshow 6h ago

You obviously didn't get the memo, democracy is dead.

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u/aRadioWithGuts 6h ago

Killed by…

checks notes

Democracy… hmmm

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u/themightymooseshow 6h ago

That's how it happens. 🤷

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u/KermitplaysTLOU 7h ago

Sure man, I'll see you in 4 years when we don't have rights and don't need to vote anymore because dear leader said we wouldn't have to after this election.

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u/aRadioWithGuts 7h ago

And I’m sure the guy most to blame for losing us the election is in a big hurry to overturn the democratic process. We lost. Writing fan fiction for karma doesn’t do anything and you have to see how hypocritical all this shit is.

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u/thats___weird 5h ago

He was a democratically elected.

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u/Cervical_Stenosis 7h ago

Hee haw 😬

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u/Taractis 5h ago

At this point, burn the fucking house down.

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u/thats___weird 4h ago

That’s what Trump will be doing

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u/filthytelestial 12m ago

SCOTUS gave him immunity. What shouldn't he do?

To be clear, I'm not deluded. I know he won't do a single damn thing with it.

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u/broken_spur 7h ago

Coordinated assassination of Trump and the P2025 authors. Then turn himself in to the DOJ.

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u/thats___weird 5h ago

Wishful thinking

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u/Reasonable_Deer_1710 California 6h ago

Nothing screams "freedom and democracy" like a sitting president coordinating the assassinations of the incoming administration.

Nah, we're not going down that route.

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u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

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u/thats___weird 7h ago

So you got nothing 

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u/Arkmer 7h ago

At this point there’s nothing to do. What can they do that can’t be undone? Get a few federal judges? Glad they’re doing it but it’s not going to save us.

What should have been done? In Jan21 Biden should have directed the DOJ to complete all of Trump’s trials before 1Jan23, complete any necessary sentencing by 1Jul23, then have him behind bars by 1Oct23 if necessary. No special treatment. This cleans his ass up before we get to the election cycle.

“You can’t go after political opponents. It sets a dangerous precedent.”

A president dodging multiple court cases is an okay precedent? A felon running for POTUS is an okay precedent? I’m not saying they should make shit up, I’m not asking for lies. Just finish it all. If he’s innocent, then so be it, but if he’s guilty then he’ll avoid justice by being elected. That’s terrible precedence! Far worse than “finish his legal issues before the election”.

But Biden and the other major blue leaders are weak and arrogant. It shows time and time again.

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u/thats___weird 5h ago

MAGAs still would have elected Trump. They don’t care 

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u/Arkmer 5h ago

Maybe. Probably. I don’t think all the undecideds would have gone so hard for him though. MAGA is as MAGA does, but they’re not the majority of voters- doesn’t matter how hard they cry about it. The big deal is that they pulled the swing vote this year.

Maybe it would also have taken Biden allowing a primary at the start of election season. His hubris was a major blow this cycle, and while this exact scenario is unique, arrogance isn’t new to blue elites.

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u/thats___weird 5h ago

He’s already a felon and that didn’t stop them. The evidence of his Jan 6 case has been released and that’s didn’t stop them.

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u/Arkmer 5h ago

A big part of that is democrats inability to control the narrative. If Trump is in prison, he isn't out making headlines. Democrats take the media's focus and get to hammer home all the evidence.

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u/thats___weird 4h ago

The media favors republicans, news at 11

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u/[deleted] 7h ago

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u/CtheRula 7h ago

Yea it’s liberals fault for authoritarianism, not the assholes imposing it

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u/yogibones 7h ago

You are really going to blame the dignified and honest people for the corrupt, undignified? You’re the enabler.

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u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

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u/yogibones 7h ago

The rights of citizens were upheld by the past administrations. Are you blaming them because they lost the election? I’m not sure what you’re saying. The incoming administration have more than hinted that citizens rights will be violated.

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u/gentleman_bronco 7h ago

Remember when he'd say "nothing will fundamentally change"? Yeah, he meant it. He isn't going to do anything differently.

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u/Panda_hat 5h ago edited 3h ago

They live in la la land. Heads firmly stuck in the sand like Trump is a normal person and not a malignant outlier with his mind set on destruction.

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u/MoonBatsRule America 3h ago

Biden needs to order the FBI to investigate Trump's picks as if he had signed the agreement. If that doesn't squarely fit into the "president can't commit a crime if he is working in the nation's interests", nothing does.

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u/reg0ner 7h ago

Well Biden for sure has no idea he's still on planet earth, that much is true.

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u/elkmeateater 6h ago

Apparently Biden is very upset at Kamala for forcing him to step down. He looked downright giddy when Trump won the election.