Partnership for Public Service statement on Trump transition chair announcement

WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service today released the following statement from President and CEO Max Stier on news that former President Donald Trump has named Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon as co-chairs of his transition team, along with Senator JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump as honorary co-chairs:

“Former President Trump has taken a critical step in naming Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon to lead his transition planning team. Establishing planning efforts under leaders trusted by both the campaign and the candidate is essential to ensure the groundwork is laid for assuming the enormous responsibilities of the presidency by Inauguration Day—a lesson further underscored by the tumultuous 2016 presidential transition process.

“The Partnership has long advocated for candidates to start their transition planning early. While the best practice would have had a formal transition planning process begin in the spring—as all major candidates have done since 2012—we are pleased to see these efforts are finally getting underway.

“Transitions are a point of maximum vulnerability for our country. The effective handoff of power is fundamental to keeping us safe and ensuring that our government is prepared to meet the needs of the American people.

“By August 27, the General Services Administration will offer services to both major party candidates. Ahead of this date, I also encourage Vice President Kamala Harris to name a transition team lead as soon as possible to begin the policy and personnel planning needed to accomplish her priorities and serve the public come January if she is elected.”

Max Stier and Valerie Smith Boyd, the director of the Center for Presidential Transition,^® will host a media briefing call on Monday, Aug. 26, at 3:30 p.m. ET. To register and receive access information, please email Enzo Benoit at [email protected]. 

The Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition^® serves as the premier nonpartisan source of information and resources to help presidential candidates and their teams lay the groundwork for a new administration or for a president’s second term. The Center provides critical assistance on how to organize and execute a transition, helps agency career executives prepare for new political leadership, offers guidance to political appointees on the unique aspects of government leadership and engages with Congress to promote transition reforms. Our resources include:

• Presidential Transition Guide – The fifth edition of the Presidential Transition Guide, released in 2023, covers the major activities of a transition for non-incumbent presidential candidates and their top campaign and transition staff, as well as the role of the incumbent administration in supporting transition efforts to prepare for a possible turnover.
• Agency Transition Guide – This guide helps career officials build well-organized internal transition teams to provide incoming senior leaders with critical information about agency policies, operations, budgets and personnel.
• Second-Term Planning Guide – Produced in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group, this new resource provides recommendations to White House incumbents to harness their first-term achievements and set the stage for new progress.
• Transition Lab – The Center’s podcast explores issues surrounding transitions, talks to veterans of past transitions and illuminates what it takes to be ready to govern.
• The Center’s online platform, presidentialtransition.org, contains an extensive collection of historical documents from previous presidential transitions and additional guidance such as appointee position descriptions and templates for transition materials.

During the past 22 years, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has been dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy. We work across administrations to help transform the way government works by providing agencies with the data insights they need to succeed, developing effective leaders, inspiring the next generation to public service, facilitating smooth presidential transitions and recognizing exceptional federal employees. Visit ourpublicservice.org, follow us @PublicService and subscribe today to get the latest federal news, information on upcoming Partnership programs and events, and more.