By JOHN KANELIS / johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com

Donald John Trump’s legacy as president didn’t have far to fall, but that didn’t deter Trump from doing all he can to destroy what little positive impact his term as president would have on the nation.

President-elect Joe Biden’s team needed a “seamless transition” from Trump’s team after the Nov. 3 election. Biden won the election handily. Trump, of course, has refused to concede. He is throwing up roadblocks along the way.

The seamless, peaceful transition now resembles nothing of the sort. Biden’s team is struggling to obtain needed intelligence from Trump’s national security apparatus. To be clear, the transition — so far! — appears set to occur without gunshots or tanks in the street. To that end, it will be a “peaceful” transfer of power from one administration to the next.

The “seamless” portion, though, also is part of our political custom. Presidents have lost their re-election efforts in the past and then presided over smooth transfers of power to the men who beat them. President Carter did so after the 1980 election, as did President George H.W. Bush in 1992. Sure, they spoke through gritted teeth when conceding to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, but they did and they behaved like statesmen while they handed over the reins of power to their successors.

Trump, to be blunt, is the farthest thing I can think of as a statesman. He is a charlatan, a huckster, a phony, a fraud who’s sole interest is in clinging to power.

And the president-elect’s team is paying the price for Trump’s reluctance to do what he should do, which is concede he lost fairly and squarely.

I take plenty of comfort in knowing that Trump will be gone from my house — the White House — on Jan. 20. If only it could be the kind of seamless transfer that used to be the envy of the world.