It's being described as a hostile takeover – in business terms, meaning the new administration is coming in without the permission and help of the outgoing team.
So far Donald Trump has not signed three standard agreements used to facilitate the transition. That means, for example, the newly nominated Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has not been to or talked to anyone from the State Department.
Bob Vander Plaats of The Family Leader says Donald Trump learned some valuable lessons the first time around.
“It's Trump being Trump, but at the same time, I think it's one of those 'once bitten twice shy,' and he's been way more than once bitten, so he's multiple times shy,” Vander Plaats said.
Trump was new to Washington and leaned on the wrong people to recommend his team. That led to fierce headwinds his entire four-year term.
“His first term he saw a bureaucracy that wanted to reject the will of the American people in electing a duly elected president. So, they just wanted to undermine him. Now he's going to do a lot of things different, that he's in charge, the bureaucracy's not in charge,” Vander Plaats said.
The second time around
Vander Plaats says this time around is different.
“He's really had an opportunity to think about how does the swamp operate, he and his team, and they're going to put people around them that are loyal, but they're going to do things their way.”
He says Trump is sending a message to Washington:
“There is a new sheriff in town.”
