In the midst of a heated Presidential Election, President Trump's interference and consistent disregard for the political process could be potentially damaging for U.S. national security, according to Trump's former Chief of Staff John Kelly.

In an exclusive interview to POLITICO, Kelly stated that "You lose a lot if the transition is delayed because the new people are not allowed to get their head in the game", adding that "The president, with all due respect, does not have to concede. But it’s about the nation. It hurts our national security".

Kelly is a retired four-star Marine Corps general, and served as President Trump's Chief of Staff - a partnership that proved to be unsatisfactory for the President, and led to Kelly's eventual dismissal in January 2019. When asked about the importance of the transitional process, Kelly stated that "the transition, in the national security realm in particular and the homeland security realm, is just so important that every day that the transition is delayed, really kind of handicaps the new team".

During his time with the Trump Administration, Gen. Kelly repeatedly locked horns with the President, especially on more procedural issues, and stated that "I think it’s crazy not to [start the transition], I know Mr. Trump better than most people do. I know that he’ll never accept defeat and, in fact, he doesn’t have to accept defeat here. He just has to do what’s best for the country and in the country’s interest".