In the final days of his presidency, Barack Obama issued scores of clemency orders to non-violent drug offenders. On his way out the door, former President Bill Clinton spent his final days attempting to bring Israel and Palestine together at the 2000 Camp David Summit. Many presidents run out the clock in an attempt to fix as much as possible as quickly as possible. President Donald Trump has opted for another approach.
NBC News noted that Trump is making a series of last-minute decisions at the Pentagon and involving foreign policy that could cause problems for incoming President Joe Biden.
"Some observers fear that President Donald Trump — disgruntled, still claiming victory — is actively attempting to tie President-elect Joe Biden's hands and shape America's international outlook for months if not years to come," said the report.
Adm. Michael Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained" "It's pretty difficult to think over the course of 50-60 days that you can do something constructive — but you can do something that's really destructive."
Trump loyalist Kash Patel has worked diligently to block the Pentagon officials from working with the incoming Biden administration officials. Trump also appointed allies Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie to the Defense Business Board. The group aides Pentagon officials with outside information on business issues.
In his final weeks, Trump has also scheduled as many executions as possible and issued Arctic oil drilling permits. He's also withdrawing all American troops in Syria that have been fighting ISIS.
Most of the last-minute efforts by Trump have been ignored as the president draws attention toward his protest of the 2020 election.
"Death threats are on the rise," wrote the Associated Press. "Local and state election officials are being hounded into hiding. A Trump campaign lawyer is declaring publicly that a federal official who defended the integrity of the election should be 'drawn and quartered' or simply shot."
Despite transition challenges, Biden has urged calm and called for civility.
