A Tradition Lost Towards The Transfer Of US Power: New President Sowan To The White House

JAKARTA - It is only a matter of days for the President-elect of the United States (US) Joe Biden to enter the White House. Likewise his wife, Jill Biden, who soon became the first lady. However, it is reported that until now, First Lady Melania Trump has not made contact with Jill. The tradition of meeting between the elected president and those about to finish their position in the US seems to have disappeared.

Quoting the Independent, Friday, January 15, 2021, one of the great traditions in the procession of power training is the elected president and the new first lady visiting the White House. This is done after the election to meet each other's families. But now that tradition seems to be fading.

After a tense election, this tradition is seen as a way to mend strained relations. Previously, former US president Barack Obama upheld this tradition by visiting Donald Trump. But this time it seemed as if there was no effort from Biden and Trump.

There is clearly no warm relationship between Donald Trump and Joe Biden after the protracted and painful 2020 US election. There were baseless accusations of cheating, then gruesome violence in the Capitol Building by rioters loyal to Trump.

On his Twitter account when it was not suspended, Trump said he would not attend Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20. But Joe Biden thinks that's a "good thing" and ignoring the tradition of having a retired commander in chief is "one of the few things he and I agree on."

Apart from not making contact with Jill Biden, Melania has also not yet established a new office to continue her program, namely 'Be Best' after she was in Washington. Just like her husband, Melania has been accused of relinquishing responsibilities associated with her official role.

Although there was no chance to meet Melania Trump, Jill Biden has plans of her own. Jill Biden is already planning her priorities regarding the military.

"In 2011, Michelle Obama and I launched Joining Forces to support military service members, veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors," Jill Biden said on Twitter. "As a military mom, I am very proud of this job and can't wait to get started with the White House team."

Jill Biden announces that she appointed Rory Brosius as executive director of the support program for the military family she plans to revive. He continued his work with military families through the Biden Foundation after the end of the Obama Administration.

Brosius, the wife of a Marine Corps veteran, has been part of Joe Biden's transition team and has been Jill Biden's senior advisor during the campaign. The Joining Forces program focuses on education, work and fitness. The Midwife family brings perspectives on military family matters gained through the service of her late son, Beau Biden, in the Delaware Army National Guard.

The ending Trump administration also has a focus on the welfare of veterans and building military power. Melania Trump and Karen Pence have also worked on military family support issues, but not under the Joining Forces banner.

When Trump publicly blamed fraud in the 2020 US elections and clung to false hopes of staying in the White House, Melania Trump was packing their belongings to move. This was conveyed by various sources who have watched Trump's activities since late November.

Melania is already halfway through completing the task of delivering goods either to Mar-a-Lago or to storage, after piecemeal overseeing the movement over weeks. The residence staff had to help with packaging and facilitate packing logistics without angering Trump, who by then had absolutely no doubt he would stay.

Melania Trump's stance on getting ready and ready to go also signals her desire to resolve problems with the administration and the past four years of dramatic ups and downs.

"(Melania Trump) is not sad to leave," said a White House official with knowledge of her mood. Unlike her husband, Melania never objected to leaving.