Presidential transitions of power have existed since George Washington stepped down and handed the presidency to John Adams in 1797. In the centuries since then, they have become an American custom.
There have been several difficult transitions, including Buchanan to Lincoln in 1861, Hoover to Roosevelt in 1933, Clinton to Bush in 2001, and Trump to Biden in 2021.
Due to the Jan. 6 incident surrounding the last presidential transition, there has been a great deal of anxiety from politicians and the general public surrounding the upcoming transition of power to former and incoming president Donald Trump.
Junior Clare Ryan Bradley feels a sense of caution surrounding Trump’s return to office.
“I’m a little concerned because the last transition of power [was] rough, and I feel like there is definitely a lot of tension between the political parties,” she said.
On Dec. 8, 2024, Trump appeared on NBC News for a video interview about his upcoming presidency, where he refused to concede his loss four years ago. This refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election has caused an overwhelming sense of nerves, including how he will inevitably give up office in 2028.
President Joe Biden has centered his rhetoric around accepting the election results respectfully. On Nov. 7, 2024, Biden addressed the public for the first time after election day. He stated that his administration would work to “ensure a peaceful and orderly transition” on Jan. 20, 2025.
“I will fulfill my oath, and I will honor the Constitution. On Jan. 20, we’ll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America,” Biden stated.
On Nov. 13, 2024, Biden and Trump met at the White House following Trump’s victory. Biden overtly pushed for a peaceful transition, seemingly implying he didn’t want a repeat of 2021. Some have interpreted the president’s comments as a shot at Trump’s handling of his 2020 loss.
Senior Dylan Bump believes that presidents share a large part of the responsibility in ensuring a smooth transition of power.
“[They should] be peaceful and helpful. Understand that this is a hard time for a lot of people so try and make it as smooth as possible,” he said.
The presidential inauguration will take place on Jan. 20 at 11 am.