Trump Transition Team Signs Modified White House Agreement, Without Govt Technology to Conduct Surveillance
The President Trump transition team has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to initiate the transfer of control of the federal government. The landing teams from each cabinet will commence interactions with their outgoing counterparts. Despite previous delays in signing the agreements, President Trump chose to wait until his cabinet was complete. However, the transition team has rejected the second part of the agreement that involves government offices and technology. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announced that they will not accept any technology, including cell phones and computers, from the General Services Administration (GSA), opting instead to self-fund the transition using private donations and establish their own security measures to prevent surveillance. In the previous administration, the GSA was criticized for tracking the Trump team's communications and sharing information with federal operatives.
Experts and former officials expressed concerns over the transition team's decision to forgo GSA support, warning it could lead to governance challenges and potential cybersecurity risks. While Wiles promised transparency regarding private donations and that they would not accept foreign contributions, there are no legal obligations to enforce those commitments. The lack of federal cybersecurity support raises concerns about vulnerabilities to foreign hacking attempts, which had been a significant concern during the previous Biden transition.
A White House spokesperson expressed worries about the ramifications of the Trump team's decision but emphasized a commitment to an orderly transition. The spokesperson noted that the Trump transition agreed to certain safeguards for non-public information and to disclose ethics agreements for its employees. However, the concerns include potential conflicts of interest and the risk of being inadequately prepared for governing from Day One.
Overall, the Trump transition team aims to operate independently and avoid the pitfalls of its previous experience while navigating the complexities of a government transition without standard federal support.
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