Donald Trump Banned from National Secrets for Breaking Ethics Laws

President-elect Donald TrumpHis return to the White House could be a bumpy ride, as he has not promised to avoid conflicts of interest, among other ethical concerns, while in office.

New York Times Trump’s transition team reportedly missed an Oct. 1 deadline to submit an ethics plan under the Presidential Transition Act. There is more NYT Trump’s assembled transition team reportedly refused to participate in the established transition process, which typically begins months before the election.

The team also missed numerous deadlines to attend national security meetings and sign agreements needed to gain access to federal agencies.

“While transition planning is a private activity, it is deeply connected to the activities of our government and the management of public resources,” said Max Stier, president and chief executive of the Public Service Partnership. The nonpartisan group assists presidential candidates with the transition through the Presidential Transition Center.

Stier added: “Avoiding conflicts of interest and the emergence of conflicts of interest are critical to this mission.”

Trump was the reason Congress changed the Presidential Transition Act law in 2019 to require candidates to publish an ethics plan that includes “information regarding how eligible presidential candidates will resolve their conflicts of interest during the term of their presidency.”

Although Trump’s transitional leadership has drafted a code of ethics and memorandum to govern its staff, NYT He reported that Trump’s plan was not included.