Top officials are meeting regularly to prepare for the presidential transition that could shake up agencies across the federal government.
Senior career staffers are trying to get security clearances for transition team members, keep track of federal records and open up office space for the election winner’s personnel to prepare for the incoming administration.
The preparations come during a delicate time this election year after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in to lead the Democratic ticket since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the Partnership for Public Service, a good-government organization, said both candidates need to be ready, considering the government’s last transfer of power saw “grave challenges” when Trump disputed his election loss, leading to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
