The 2024 Presidential Transition: What Happened? With Heath Brown

The peaceful transfer of power occurred successfully at noon on Jan. 20, 2025, when President Joe Biden handed control of the federal government to President-elect Donald Trump. After an election cycle characterized by intense partisanship and distrust, how did officials manage this monumental task? Today on the final episode this season of “Transition Lab,” transition expert Heath Brown reflects on this question and discusses what we can learn for future transitions.  

Heath Brown is an associate professor of public policy at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the CUNY Graduate Center. His most recent book, “Roadblocked: Joe Biden’s Rocky Road to the Presidency,” covers Joe Biden’s 2020 transition. He is also the author of numerous books and articles on American politics and the American presidency, as well as a contributor and cited expert in numerous publications, including The Atlantic, The Hill, and American Prospect.