Former Trump chief advocates for a five-year presidency, commencing from Year Zero
Trump’s Troubled Presidential Transition
In the history of troubled presidential transitions and first years, it’s hard to ignore former President Donald Trump’s start in 2017.
First, he fired his transition director, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and then once in office, he failed to push through promised changes to Obamacare. His travel ban on suspected terrorist-supporting nations faced several court challenges.
Just as bad, some of his Cabinet and picks for top aides flopped.
But as he looks at a possible second try should he beat President Joe Biden in November, expectations are high that he will better prepare to manage the Oval Office, begin the transition sooner, and test his initial policy moves way before Inauguration Day.
High Expectations for Trump’s Second Try
“Do not underestimate Trump,” said Christopher Liddell, Trump’s former deputy chief of staff. “Certainly when you look at the way he’s running his campaign this time compared to the 2016 version, it’s a lot more professional and structured and considered. So that’s a leading indicator,” he added.
Trump’s team will also be able to tap transition efforts underway in Washington, notably the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 and Liddell’s new book and road map to smooth transitions, Year Zero: The Five-Year Presidency.
Liddell is recognized as an expert administrator, considered a fine art in Washington. He was Mitt Romney’s transition chief in 2012, handled the $20 billion initial public offering for General Motors in 2010, and was the Trump point person for Biden’s transition in 2021.
What he is proposing in his book, published by the University of Virginia Press, is a transition that runs in parallel with a presidential campaign. He is calling on candidates to set up a small shop initially to consider who to hire, map out a first-year agenda, and propose the legacy that the candidate wants to leave.
“Clearly, the candidate needs to win, but that doesn’t mean that the team can’t be working away in the background on all of these ideas,” Liddell said, adding, “You can save yourself an enormous amount of time by doing what most administrations do during the first six months.”
Typically, a transition team isn’t formed until after the nominating conventions, but Liddell said that’s when the candidate should already be thinking about who to name to top jobs and what executive order and legislation he plans to push out on Day 1.
“Year Zero starts now,” he said.
Better Planning for the First Year
In his book, Liddell grades recent transitions, calling the one between former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama the “gold standard” and the Trump-Biden handoff “exceptionally challenging,” given that Trump thought Biden cheated to win.
David Marchick, who helped Biden’s transition as the director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the nonprofit organization Partnership for Public Service, said that Liddell shared several transition scenarios in 2020, including a “nightmare” plan where Trump would deny he lost in a close election.
Two days after the election, when Trump was starting to say he was cheated out of victory, Marchick said Liddell called to say the “nightmare scenario” was unfolding. Still, despite all the turmoil, Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021.
Appearing with Liddell at a University of Virginia conference on presidential transitions this week, Marchick said, “Thankfully for the country, Chris Liddell was in the White House. Because amid all the chaos, Chris was quietly working away to ensure the peaceful transfer of power, and not that many people know about that. This is a great public servant.”
For his part, Liddell will tell everyone he can that preparation for the critical first year of a presidency can’t happen soon enough.
“My contention is that it is never too early to ‘measure the drapes’ — not to become enamored with the trappings of power, but to plan for doing the work of holding presidential office. A ‘Year Zero’ approach — functionally, adding a year’s worth of planning and design work to a four-year presidential term — will allow new presidents to enact their campaign promises faster, thus delivering outcomes more effectively, in particular in their first year,” he said.
How can a well-prepared transition team contribute to the success of an incoming president?
Challenged.” He emphasizes that a smooth transition is crucial for the incoming president to effectively govern and bring about meaningful change.
Liddell highlights that a well-prepared transition team should be in place even before the candidate secures the nomination. This team should focus on planning the first year’s agenda, identifying top appointees, and outlining the candidate’s desired legacy. By doing so, the new administration can hit the ground running and save valuable time during the early months of their term.
The author points to his own experiences as evidence that proper planning leads to successful transitions. As Mitt Romney’s transition chief in 2012 and the Trump representative for Biden’s transition in 2021, Liddell witnessed firsthand the benefits of meticulous preparation. He also draws on his expertise as an administrator, including his role in the General Motors IPO, to offer insights into effective transition management.
To support his argument, Liddell references ongoing transition efforts in Washington, notably the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. These initiatives provide valuable resources and guidance to incoming administrations. Liddell’s own book, “Year Zero: The Five-Year Presidency,” published by the University of Virginia Press, acts as a comprehensive roadmap for achieving a smooth and successful transition.
Undoubtedly, the expectations for Trump’s second presidential transition will be high. Critics argue that his first transition was marred by missteps and inadequate preparation. However, Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, Christopher Liddell, believes that the 2024 campaign is showing signs of improvement. He points to a more professional and structured approach as evidence that Trump is committed to better preparation and management of the Oval Office.
In conclusion, Trump’s troubled presidential transition in 2017 serves as a lesson for future candidates and administrations. The importance of early planning, setting up a transition team, and mapping out a clear agenda cannot be underestimated. Liddell’s book, “Year Zero,” offers valuable insights and recommendations for a successful transition. By learning from past experiences and implementing effective transition strategies, future presidents can overcome challenges and lead more effectively from day one.
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