President Donald Trump is unlikely ever to utter the word "concede"
Credit: Getty
Donald Trump’s decision to accept the formal start of a presidential transition is a watershed moment, and a clear sign that he has finally accepted his electoral fate.
Mr Trump will doubtless never utter the word "concede" — it isn’t in his vocabulary — but developments on Monday night amounted to a concession in all but name.
The denouement was triggered by Emily Murphy, a previously obscure mandarin with the supremely bureaucratic title Administrator of the General Services Administration.
Since Nov 7, when the election was called by all major TV networks, Ms Murphy had refused to sign a letter authorising the transition.
Few knew she held such power. But she does, and it is enshrined in the Presidential Transition Act of 1963.
General Services Administration Administrator Emily Murphy came under fire from the Democrats for stalling the transition
Credit: AP
Under the Act a transition cannot formally begin until the Administrator of the General Services Administration "ascertains" a winner.
Ms Murphy, 47, became a hate figure for many on the left in recent days. She reported receiving "thousands of threats" to herself, her family, staff, and even her pets.
On Monday, after 16 days, she finally wrote to the Biden campaign to say she had made the "ascertainment," and the formal process of transition could begin, with him as "president-elect". It came shortly after the state of Michigan officially certified its results.
Her decision had immediate practical implications. It frees up $7.3 million in government funds for Mr Biden’s transition team to use.
Mr Biden will also get an official office to use before he moves into the White House on Jan 20, and access to intelligence briefings.
What proved more momentous than Ms Murphy’s delayed decision, however, was Mr Trump’s response.
In tweets sent just minutes after news of Ms Murphy’s letter to Mr Biden was made public, the president struck an unexpected and remarkably conciliatory tone.
Mr Trump even suggested it was he himself who had urged the start of the transition. "In the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols," Mr Trump said, adding that he had "told my team to do the same."
…fight, and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
Mr Trump vowed that his legal challenges to the election result would "STRONGLY continue" and said he would "pursue our various cases on what will go down as the most corrupt election in American political history".
Yet it was not the reaction of someone digging in for a fight.
Once a transition is underway it would be very hard to stop, and he appeared to have quickly accepted the inevitable.
Ms Murphy, who was appointed by Mr Trump, was at pains to stress that she had not been pressured by the president or anyone else.
"The decision was solely mine," she wrote to Mr Biden.
But there was no disagreement from Mr Trump, and no damning tweet aimed at Ms Murphy. On the contrary, he thanked Ms Murphy for her "steadfast dedication and loyalty to our country".
Many senior Republicans will take that as a green light from the White House to publicly accept that the election is indeed lost.
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