Trump's refusal to a peaceful transfer of power breeds consequences

Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore, Flickr

On the afternoon of Nov. 11, Joe Biden surpassed 270 electoral votes and was officially declared the president-elect of the United States. The Associated Press called the 2020 presidential election, reporting that Biden won by a landslide with 290 electoral votes against Donald Trump, who received 232 electoral votes. Biden also won about 51% of the popular vote.

To the majority of Americans, it is clear that Biden will be the next president of the United States. He surpassed the qualifying number of electoral votes, declared victory and voter fraud has not been evident. What else is there to prove?

President Trump, however, completely disagrees. As a result, he has refused to begin the transition of presidential power over to the Biden administration.

Trump’s refusal to follow precedent is more dangerous than the American people may think. Not only does this set a bad standard for American presidency globally, but it places the American people in grave danger. By leaving Biden in the dark and failing to brief him about confidential foreign policy matters that directly affect the country today, as well as the current and future plans to handle the coronavirus pandemic, Trump is risking the lives of millions of Americans. 

Trump’s failure to peacefully transition power has been recognized not only nation-wide, but internationally. Citizens and celebrities alike have expressed concern over social media, emphasizing how Biden may not be as prepared as he could be at the start of his presidency as a result of Trump’s refusal to accept the election results.

On Nov. 16, former first lady Michelle Obama made a post on her Instagram regarding Trump’s refusal to follow presidential tradition. Obama stated that for the sake of the country, she had to put aside her anger towards Trump for spreading racist lies about her husband that placed their family in danger. Thus, she followed presidential procedure and welcomed Melania Trump into the White House to guide her through the first lady’s role.

“I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do -- because our democracy is so much bigger than anybody’s ego. Our love of country requires us to respect the results of the election even when we don’t like them or wish it had gone differently -- the presidency doesn’t belong to any one individual or any one party,” said Obama. “This isn’t a game.”

ntiyalog@ramapo.edu