In a typical election year, votes are counted. A candidate is projected to win. The losing

candidate concedes and there you have it, a presidential transition begins. This year

though, things are different. On Saturday, it became clear that Joe Biden had won the election

and would become the 46th president of the United States. President Trump, though, has

refused to concede. He's repeatedly and falsely alleged voter fraud and launched several lawsuits

to contest the results, most of which have failed. Trump's appointees and allies have since

supported his refusal to initiate a peaceful transfer of power. The White House has instructed

government agencies to block cooperation with the Biden transition team. A Trump appointee

at the General Services Administration has refused to sign paperwork that releases millions

and pre-allocated dollars to fund the transition. That paperwork also gives Biden's team access

to agency officials and information. And some of that information is key to our national

security. Many experts in public service have expressed concern that these unprecedented

moves by the president threaten our country's safety by denying Biden resources, intelligence,

and other important information to make his transition smoothly. So how much is at risk when

a president elect doesn't get the intelligence, funds, and information he needs? How does this

protracted transition alter the country's position on the global stage? And once the election

results are certified, will Trump's actions change?

This is Ken, he do that, a podcast that explores the powers and limitations of the American

presidency. I'm Allison Michaels. Later in the show, I talked to Shane Harris, National Security

reporter at the post about the ways Trump's blocking of the formal transition process can

harm our nation's safety. But before I spoke to Shane, I looked back to an interview I

did with David Marcik back in September in anticipation of where we find ourselves today.

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