What will the transfer of power in the United States look like?

It's not over yet!

At noon on November 7th (US time), American media outlets simultaneously reported...Announce the winner.In the most closely contested presidential election in decades, the Democratic candidate was Joe Biden. Hours later, Biden delivered a speech declaring a “clear victory” and outlining his direction and policies for when he takes office. In theory, this development marked the end of the race, but in reality, that wasn't necessarily the case.

Supporters watch Joe Biden's victory speech on the morning of November 8th (Vietnam time). Photo: New York Times

On the opposing side, President Donald Trump also declared victory! “I won the election with 71 million legal votes,” Trump wrote on Twitter. The incumbent president also asserted, “the election is far from over.” His lawyers are planning a series of lawsuits to fight the so-called “Democratic hack.” Not just in a few counties, but in all the states that counted votes later and had close results. Clearly, this is unprecedented in over a century since the United States adopted the law.Electoral College Counting LawIn 1887, the United States had never experienced such a bizarre and comical situation.

Typically, in previous US presidential elections, when a candidate won a majority of electoral votes and significantly outpaced their opponent, they could declare victory even without official confirmation from the states. However, in the 2020 US election, with intense controversies arising after Election Day regarding voting methods and "legal ballots," Joe Biden's declaration of victory and his opponent's refusal to concede defeat is understandable.

Trump supporters (71 million) can certainly place their hopes in the legal battle to reverse the situation. In fact, so far, no state has officially confirmed Biden's 290 electoral votes. In a country that "upholds the rule of law" like the United States, there are always laws in place to handle all disputes, especially in political matters.

People in Washington celebrate the victory of candidate Joe Biden. Photo: AP

Of course, it must also be acknowledged that the struggle to "reverse" the situation is becoming more difficult forCurrent President TrumpBecause if the lawsuits only took place in one or two counties, or even one or two states, the outcome could change. However, Biden's vote count has far surpassed Trump's in most battleground states, making lawsuits or requests for recounts unlikely to have a positive impact. Furthermore, Trump's team needs to find evidence for allegations of voter fraud if they want the lawsuits to be accepted by state or federal courts. In fact, despite expressing anger at numerous warnings and criticisms, the incumbent president's campaign has yet to present convincing evidence to request a recount. Legal experts believe that these lawsuits are unlikely to succeed in changing the election results.

However, given his personality and the support of tens of millions of voters who have already cast their ballots, Trump will not easily give up in the upcoming legal battle, regardless of the outcome. Therefore, it can be said that the tug-of-war in the US election will continue; perhaps we still need to wait and see!

A difficult transition.

With the US election still ongoing, the transition of power remains unpredictable. Typically, the transition is based on close cooperation between the outgoing and incoming administrations, even if they belong to opposing parties. However, President Trump's declaration that he will not accept the results and his commitment to legal action to "overturn the outcome" is expected to create significant difficulties in this transition.

President Donald Trump returns to the White House from a golf course in Virginia after the Associated Press reported that Joe Biden had won the election. Photo: AFP

For weeks, Trump has alleged serious irregularities and fraud in this election, although he has offered no concrete evidence. AP, citing an unnamed congressman, reported that Republican lawmakers will give President Trump and his team time to consider appropriate legal options. The White House has also not yet confirmed the results to trigger the transition of power.

This reality has led observers to speculate on various scenarios, including the possibility that Trump will refuse to accept defeat and not leave the White House. Historically, no outgoing president has ever been so uncooperative as to refuse to leave the White House. However, the American media fears this scenario could occur, calling it "a dark chapter in American history" if it materializes.

This clearly presents a major challenge for Joe Biden.building a new government apparatusFollowing his victory, the former Vice President is now taking steps to prepare for his immediate assumption of power after the inauguration, and his team has created a website to facilitate the transition. This team will select cabinet members, discuss priority policies, and prepare for taking control. His victory speech on the morning of November 8th (Vietnam time) also outlined his priorities for the coming period. Accordingly, he focuses on healing internal divisions within the United States and addressing the challenges ahead. He also pledged to be "a president for all Americans, not seeking division but unity."

The Democratic presidential ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 US election. Photo: Getty

However, the 78-year-old politician's path to the White House will undoubtedly be more challenging than that of any candidate who has claimed victory in previous elections. Even after taking office, the challenges will likely be even greater. He must build a government while control of the Senate may remain in Republican hands, and the number of Democratic allies in the House of Representatives is dwindling. A deeply divided Congress will hinder Biden's efforts to pass legislation within his first 100 days in office. Not to mention the more than 70 million people who voted for Trump – who want him to remain in power.

As a seasoned politician who has served as Vice President of the United States, building his administration in the 10 weeks leading up to his inauguration on January 20, 2021, will still be a significant challenge for Biden. Furthermore, he will face a mountain of challenges on his agenda to ensure his campaign promises can be successfully implemented. These challenges include...The story of healing AmericaThe post-election period is marked by the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenge of reviving the economy.

Therefore, to mitigate the negative impacts of the most controversial election currently underway, perhaps America needs a peaceful transfer of power, after which the responsibility for healing and resolving the challenges will fall on the leadership of the person who will become the 46th President of the United States.

Newly elected President Joe Biden will face significant challenges in building his new administration. (Photo: Reuters)