Biden's Administration Faces the Prospect of a Trump Takeover
The White House is hurriedly working to allocate funding for Ukraine and CHIPs, but encounters restrictions on "Trump-proofing."
TroibNews 
The White House is working to finalize plans as Joe Biden approaches the end of his presidency, focusing on solidifying his legacy in the face of an incoming successor who aims to dismantle much of his work.
With only 65 days left in office, senior aides are prioritizing strategies to secure key elements of Biden’s agenda, especially in manufacturing and infrastructure investments. They are also increasing efforts on significant health care and energy policies that could be vulnerable to repeal and organizing a swift Senate action to fill judicial vacancies. Additionally, in a bid that could represent one of the final acts of substantial support for Ukraine, officials are hurrying to allocate $6 billion in remaining aid while preparing for a final set of sanctions against Russia.
Among the sanctions being considered are measures targeting the U.S. energy sector, according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, as the administration now feels less constrained by pre-election worries regarding domestic gas prices.
This rush of activity has infused a new sense of purpose within a White House feeling unsettled by Donald Trump’s anticipated return to power, as noted by interviews with various administration officials and outside advisers. However, there is a clear acknowledgment that much of what they accomplish in the next two months might become irrelevant after Inauguration Day.
Trump is expected to roll back numerous initiatives that the Biden administration leaves in place, and no amount of effort to enhance Biden's reputation can mitigate that.
“The bottom line,” said Ivo Daalder, a foreign policy expert close to senior Biden officials, “is there just isn’t anything Biden can do today that isn’t reversible in 10 weeks.”
As the administration outlines its lame duck strategy, aides are also preparing for a presidential transition that Biden considers essential to maintaining public trust in the electoral process, which he has emphasized must proceed without issues.
On Wednesday, Biden met with Trump at the White House for a two-hour discussion, reviving a courtesy that Trump had previously denied him during his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
In private discussions, White House aides expressed a resignation to the notion that voters have largely rejected the principles of Biden’s presidency in favor of the freewheeling, transactional style that Trump embodies. While Biden will seize the opportunity to make a final argument for his values, aides acknowledge he is not seen as the figure to lead the Democrats in the next four years.
“To be frank, we’re spending a lot of time thinking about his legacy and those kinds of things,” remarked one of the administration officials, who was granted anonymity to describe internal discussions.
With this in mind, White House aides are actively seeking ways for Biden to highlight his achievements publicly, considering more interviews and possibly another significant speech. It remains uncertain how in-depth these interviews would be, as Biden and his team have typically preferred short, controlled interactions with supportive journalists.
Officials have particular concerns about the fate of their international efforts, especially with Trump likely to pivot U.S. priorities abruptly. The administration is racing to send one last aid shipment to Ukraine before January 20, anticipating that Trump might immediately halt support for Ukraine's efforts against Russia.
The U.S. and its G7 allies recently finalized an agreement to provide Ukraine with funds backed by profits from seized Russian assets, with the first $50 billion set to be released next month. Aides indicated that this arrangement is not solely subject to Trump’s decisions, although he could still disrupt it by withdrawing U.S. participation.
The forthcoming sanctions against Russia, which may target its oil and gas sector, are also being discussed, according to a White House official. This strategy could attract some bipartisan support, putting Trump in a position to decide whether to lift them.
Biden plans to spend a significant portion of his remaining weeks meeting with foreign leaders, who are preparing for the implications of a Trump presidency. He is likely to participate in the next virtual conference of the coalition supporting Ukraine, hoping to encourage unity among those nations after he leaves office.
Meanwhile, aides are pursuing a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon, although they have limited hopes of making significant progress in alleviating Middle Eastern tensions or the humanitarian situation in Gaza before Trump takes over.
"Anything farther than that on Gaza or Iran, they've got no shot," said Ian Bremmer, president of the risk assessment firm Eurasia Group.
On Capitol Hill, the Democratic majority in the Senate is expected to expedite judicial confirmations in their final weeks to shape the judiciary before Republicans gain full control of Congress.
After scaling back his appearances during Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, Biden is anticipated to attend more events at the White House. Aides are also preparing for a final effort to showcase the administration’s investments nationwide.
“He wants to just be out there getting things done and traveling,” another administration official said, reflecting Biden’s post-election focus.
White House officials are especially concentrated on hastening a series of grants to chip manufacturers authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act to solidify investments that Biden attributes to the revival of American manufacturing during his presidency.
The Commerce Department has allocated over 90 percent of the $39 billion associated with the legislation, but negotiations continue with most companies set to receive the funds, which must be finalized before disbursement can begin.
Recently, the administration secured what officials hope will be the first of several deals before year’s end, agreeing to a $6.6 billion investment in an Arizona chipmaking project initiated by Taiwan Semiconductor.
Additionally, the White House is discreetly courting allies to bolster public backing for elements of the chips legislation and the Inflation Reduction Act that may be at risk in a Republican-led Congress. Biden’s team has shared instances of GOP support for specific provisions, including Trump’s previous attempts to take credit for initiatives such as the price cap on insulin.
“I fully expect that a Trump administration will try to reverse a lot of the regulatory changes that Biden put in place,” said Tobin Marcus, a former Biden aide now leading U.S. Policy and Politics at Wolfe Research. “But that stuff doesn’t turn on a dime.”
These efforts will help maintain a portion of Biden's domestic legacy, even if it allows Trump to benefit from policies implemented by the current administration.
Despite Biden's willingness to spend two hours advising Trump about future challenges, there is little confidence that these efforts will have lasting impact once Trump assumes office.
"Biden and Trump don't see the world in the same way," Daalder said. "Trump will say, thank you very much but I don’t need your advice. I’m in charge."
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
With only 65 days left in office, senior aides are prioritizing strategies to secure key elements of Biden’s agenda, especially in manufacturing and infrastructure investments. They are also increasing efforts on significant health care and energy policies that could be vulnerable to repeal and organizing a swift Senate action to fill judicial vacancies. Additionally, in a bid that could represent one of the final acts of substantial support for Ukraine, officials are hurrying to allocate $6 billion in remaining aid while preparing for a final set of sanctions against Russia.
Among the sanctions being considered are measures targeting the U.S. energy sector, according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, as the administration now feels less constrained by pre-election worries regarding domestic gas prices.
This rush of activity has infused a new sense of purpose within a White House feeling unsettled by Donald Trump’s anticipated return to power, as noted by interviews with various administration officials and outside advisers. However, there is a clear acknowledgment that much of what they accomplish in the next two months might become irrelevant after Inauguration Day.
Trump is expected to roll back numerous initiatives that the Biden administration leaves in place, and no amount of effort to enhance Biden's reputation can mitigate that.
“The bottom line,” said Ivo Daalder, a foreign policy expert close to senior Biden officials, “is there just isn’t anything Biden can do today that isn’t reversible in 10 weeks.”
As the administration outlines its lame duck strategy, aides are also preparing for a presidential transition that Biden considers essential to maintaining public trust in the electoral process, which he has emphasized must proceed without issues.
On Wednesday, Biden met with Trump at the White House for a two-hour discussion, reviving a courtesy that Trump had previously denied him during his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
In private discussions, White House aides expressed a resignation to the notion that voters have largely rejected the principles of Biden’s presidency in favor of the freewheeling, transactional style that Trump embodies. While Biden will seize the opportunity to make a final argument for his values, aides acknowledge he is not seen as the figure to lead the Democrats in the next four years.
“To be frank, we’re spending a lot of time thinking about his legacy and those kinds of things,” remarked one of the administration officials, who was granted anonymity to describe internal discussions.
With this in mind, White House aides are actively seeking ways for Biden to highlight his achievements publicly, considering more interviews and possibly another significant speech. It remains uncertain how in-depth these interviews would be, as Biden and his team have typically preferred short, controlled interactions with supportive journalists.
Officials have particular concerns about the fate of their international efforts, especially with Trump likely to pivot U.S. priorities abruptly. The administration is racing to send one last aid shipment to Ukraine before January 20, anticipating that Trump might immediately halt support for Ukraine's efforts against Russia.
The U.S. and its G7 allies recently finalized an agreement to provide Ukraine with funds backed by profits from seized Russian assets, with the first $50 billion set to be released next month. Aides indicated that this arrangement is not solely subject to Trump’s decisions, although he could still disrupt it by withdrawing U.S. participation.
The forthcoming sanctions against Russia, which may target its oil and gas sector, are also being discussed, according to a White House official. This strategy could attract some bipartisan support, putting Trump in a position to decide whether to lift them.
Biden plans to spend a significant portion of his remaining weeks meeting with foreign leaders, who are preparing for the implications of a Trump presidency. He is likely to participate in the next virtual conference of the coalition supporting Ukraine, hoping to encourage unity among those nations after he leaves office.
Meanwhile, aides are pursuing a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon, although they have limited hopes of making significant progress in alleviating Middle Eastern tensions or the humanitarian situation in Gaza before Trump takes over.
"Anything farther than that on Gaza or Iran, they've got no shot," said Ian Bremmer, president of the risk assessment firm Eurasia Group.
On Capitol Hill, the Democratic majority in the Senate is expected to expedite judicial confirmations in their final weeks to shape the judiciary before Republicans gain full control of Congress.
After scaling back his appearances during Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, Biden is anticipated to attend more events at the White House. Aides are also preparing for a final effort to showcase the administration’s investments nationwide.
“He wants to just be out there getting things done and traveling,” another administration official said, reflecting Biden’s post-election focus.
White House officials are especially concentrated on hastening a series of grants to chip manufacturers authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act to solidify investments that Biden attributes to the revival of American manufacturing during his presidency.
The Commerce Department has allocated over 90 percent of the $39 billion associated with the legislation, but negotiations continue with most companies set to receive the funds, which must be finalized before disbursement can begin.
Recently, the administration secured what officials hope will be the first of several deals before year’s end, agreeing to a $6.6 billion investment in an Arizona chipmaking project initiated by Taiwan Semiconductor.
Additionally, the White House is discreetly courting allies to bolster public backing for elements of the chips legislation and the Inflation Reduction Act that may be at risk in a Republican-led Congress. Biden’s team has shared instances of GOP support for specific provisions, including Trump’s previous attempts to take credit for initiatives such as the price cap on insulin.
“I fully expect that a Trump administration will try to reverse a lot of the regulatory changes that Biden put in place,” said Tobin Marcus, a former Biden aide now leading U.S. Policy and Politics at Wolfe Research. “But that stuff doesn’t turn on a dime.”
These efforts will help maintain a portion of Biden's domestic legacy, even if it allows Trump to benefit from policies implemented by the current administration.
Despite Biden's willingness to spend two hours advising Trump about future challenges, there is little confidence that these efforts will have lasting impact once Trump assumes office.
"Biden and Trump don't see the world in the same way," Daalder said. "Trump will say, thank you very much but I don’t need your advice. I’m in charge."
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
