The business of transferring power between President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden seemed on hold Monday as the incumbent plotted a messaging blitz to amplify his baseless claims of fraud even as his inner circle split over his ongoing refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election.
Most around Trump seemed to believe his slipshod legal efforts to challenge results in several states would eventually peter out and the President – if not actually acknowledging his defeat – would begin to move on. None seemed to believe he would refuse to leave office in January.
But in the interim, the essential process of handing over power to Biden appears to be stalled. Inside the White House, there is no expectation that steps toward a transition will move ahead until Trump concedes or the government formally declares Biden the winner.
“It ain’t over til it’s over … and this AIN’T over!” Vice President Mike Pence told his staff during a morning all-hands meeting, according to a tweet he sent later in the day.