Why the US waits so long to swear in the new president
Does it really have to take two and a half months?
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American law specifies that the US presidential election happens in early November. It also specifies that the winner of that election isn’t actually sworn in until January 20th. That leaves about two and a half months in between, where, in situations where the incumbent has been voted out, the winner of the election still isn’t president. This is the “transition” period, during which the old administration trades places with the new one.
But does that period really need to be so long? In 2020, we found out what happens when an incumbent president loses reelection, but refuses to concede: Among other things, it pushes the start of the transition several weeks later, shortening that handover period. So does that matter? What actually happens in those two and a half months, and why do we let the loser continue to wield power for so long?
Read more about the US presidential transition from Vox reporter Jen Kirby: https://www.vox.com/2020/11/23/21611906/biden-transition-gsa-trump-emily-murphy-acertain
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what’s really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
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@RoyaleSplendor
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
It used to be longer. Before the 20th amendment inauguration was held on March 4th.
@TashaHuntley
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
People can even cheat on a landslide.
@TashaHuntley
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Well the loser shouldn't concede when the other person rigs the election.
@kristopher403
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Harris didn’t adhere to any traditions for the Vice Presidency either and the States didn’t certify the election until 2024, after new legislation passed that required them too. If half of the country thinks there is foul play, especially when polling places stop counting votes until the morning and “mail in ballot” results are dumped at 4 am with only one candidate receiving votes from 150,000 ballots counted (a statistical impossibility), then yes, people are going to be suspicious. We proved there was foul play by reelecting the better choice in 2024. If he actually lost in 2020, then he would have again. Good luck with your lies.
@mattjones5987
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
We should be using that time to audit every election. Just as corporations do every year
@whirlwindjourney
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Oh Heaven forbid a candidate should ever contest an election.
@ebazileyes1475
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
US Presidency comes of like a show within a show. So long and draining just for a President to enter office. By the time the President get in it almost time to leave.🙄 It's ridiculous.
@SylveonistEmpire
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
I Wonder what would George Washington Think of the USA Today compared to 1789-1797.
@jjavalon
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
And NOW it will be the opposite, at last.
@NYCAppl3
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
This was very informative, thku.
@incometax1997
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
The national debt increased by 7.8 trillion during President-Elect Trump's first term, which is over a fifth of the current national debt, so he's fixing a problem he created.
@kennethpipkin759
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Kinda interesting that Trump didn't concede when Kristen asked him to…. huh?
@Cameraflyer-
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Obama used that time to set land mines for incoming President Trump.
@tituswillb
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
1:44 “The federal government is kind of like this huge massive like big ship that takes a lot of sort of direction to steer” …. bruh.
@garydurandt4260
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Now, 4 years later, it is bye bye sleepy joe.
@arunkris7299
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
This period in 2024 after trump winning makes biden govt to dump more weapons in Ukraine for war,
@rob6255-j4t
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
They need a buffer to unwind all the backhanders and allow for shares to
be sold plus enoble big buisness to
make their necessary ajustments.
Any criminal enterprise needs time
to re set. R
@cledetaltidor
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
I found it very interesting that you chose not to talk about the issues around the voting system. It took 4 years but the Georgia legislature finally prevailed in getting the courts to give them access to the ballots. The people in charge of the vote counting refuse to hand them over. They had their own people do the audit. Everything was ok was what they said. Well after the legislature got the ballots everything was not ok. 300,000 ballots was unaccounted for. I wonder how many other states had the same problem. I'm with Trump.
@ctswag4204
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
This was not informative at all, it was literally just a Trump smear piece. Typical of garbage outlets like Vox.
@busker153
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
The delay in 2020 was because Dominion gave the election to Joe. It was stolen. Those of you still believing Basement Joe actually won are…well…let's not say what you are.
@richardgreen7811
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 pm
The transition of power from the 2024 election should be abrupt and immediate with the presentation of a plaque from Trump to biden that reads "Don't let the door hit ya, where the Good Lord split ya"
Comments are closed.