From the White House to Mar-a-Lago, leaders are sharing a message of unity following the presidential election, as the focus now shifts to a transition to a second Trump administration.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both spoke with President-elect Trump Wednesday to congratulate him on his victory.
Biden invited Trump to the White House. Trump “looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call,” stated the Trump campaign’s communications director Steven Cheung.
Harris and Trump agreed on “a desire to ensure a smooth and effective transitional power in the weeks and months ahead,” according to a Trump campaign advisor.
“President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country,” Cheung stated.
“It's time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us. It's time to unite and we're going to try, we're going to try,” Trump said during his victory speech at the Palm Beach Convention Center Tuesday, just a few miles from Mar-a-Lago where he spent the evening watching the results with friends and family.
The victory, described by his running mate Sen. JD Vance as a “political comeback,” marks the end of nearly two years of campaigning for Trump, but the start of an administration that could now face less obstacles with support from congressional republicans who have coalesced around his agenda and a Supreme Court with a conservative majority.
“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” Trump said, describing a plan as ‘promises made promises kept’ in a second administration. On the campaign trail, Trump has prioritized tougher border policies including mass deportations, an effort to cut prices through energy production and less regulation, an economic policy that would cut taxes while raising tariffs and promises to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
“Once we actually start enforcing the sanctions and choking off Putin's war machine, that will be the leverage to get him to the table to end the war rather than to perpetuate the war,” Congressman Mike Waltz said.
“The President, because of that mandate that he got from such a broad and diverse group, is very excited to lead a unifying movement,” an advisor said, pointing in part to support from the Hispanic and African American communities, particularly among men, turnout in rural areas and urban areas in building a broad coalition.
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In the background ahead of a second term, the Trump-Vance transition team, co-chaired by Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, has been “very active” and worked for weeks “in a way that wasn't broadcasting every move and every moment,” according to a campaign advisor, who indicated announcements to come in the days ahead. Trump’s sons, Sen. Vance, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard are also a part of the transition teams.
"In the days and weeks ahead, President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership and enact policies that make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure," McMahon and Lutnick said in a statement. "We are proud to volunteer our time to present President Trump with a wide array of experts from which he can select for his team."
“They will give the President the best and brightest from all sectors of America so that the President can choose a cabinet that is ready on day one to enact his agenda,” the advisor said. “And they will also be working with policy stakeholders to ensure that things like potential executive orders and legislative policies are there that meet the President's goals so that he can make day one the beginning of the most successful four years in American history.”
Trump previously indicated he’d look to Elon Musk to lead a government efficiency commission tasked with reforming and auditing the government. He previously said Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be able to work on health issues, including women’s health.
Kennedy wants to oversee “regeneration of regulatory agencies,” according to his former campaign’s communications director, Del Bigtree, who said he believes “it will look very much like a commission.”
“What's going to happen is you're going to now know the side effects that happen from vaccines. You're going to be given the option to choose for yourself, if that is what you want to do. Choice is going to be handed back to the public, and that's it. No vaccines will be erased. What will be given to you is honest, transparency, informed consent is returning to the vaccine program,” said Bigtree.
The transition between administrations is a government regulated process, with the White House and General Services Administration playing key roles.
The Trump-Vance transition team has not entered into agreements with the White House or the General Services Administration at this point, according to a White House official. White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients reached out to McMahon and Lutnick Wednesday to make clear the intent for an orderly transition and reiterate the role of the agreements, according to the official. The GSA also said it notified Trump’s transition team of his eligibility for post-election services and said it was prepared to work with his team to complete the agreement. Trump’s team has been in conversation with the transition coordinator.
“I just really think that the whole country needs to unite, and come to the realization that he is he he has everyone's best interests at heart, and he's going to do he's going to do what's best to help bring the country together and to help,” said supporter April Owen following his election night watch party.
“…He’s been there before, so he doesn't have to have a learning year. He learned from his mistakes. He knows what's right. He's got people to help him pick the right cabinet members this time,” said supporter Jill Woolbright.
