A deep distrust has taken hold between Trump’s transition officials and Obama’s political appointees at a number of federal agencies, slowing down the handover of agency responsibilities on everything from meat inspections to drug pricing. There’s confusion over policy on several major agenda items, as Trump gives conflicting signals and often disagrees with his Cabinet nominees. And a number of federal agencies are far from having the staff they need to run on Day One, people close to the transition say.
While every transition has a feeling of disarray to it, some observers — Obama and Trump loyalists alike as well as others who are more neutral — say this transition is more drama-filled and inconsistent across federal agencies than some of its predecessors. And the disorder could have a real impact on Trump’s ability to quickly deliver on his ambitious agenda in the opening weeks of his administration.
“They look like they are designed for chaos,” said Stephen Hess, an expert on transitions at the Brookings Institution. “It’s just, there is no other word for it, weird for those of us who have been involved in government for decades.”…
There’s also confusion about the path forward on major agenda items. One senior policy official at the conservative Heritage Foundation said it is unclear what policies the transition team favors on issues like infrastructure because several different versions of a plan are circulating — and no one is sure who is empowered to sign off. Trump and his top aides have disagreed on how to move forward on removing Obamacare, causing concern on Capitol Hill and among his GOP allies.
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