As all of you know, this administration has traditionally hosted cabinet meetings around the state.
We’ve been everywhere from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore – and many places in between.
But today, we’re doing something a little different:
We’re in the Maryland State House.
Our nation is in the process of transferring power from one administration to the next – And that tradition started right here, in Annapolis.
The State House is where General George Washington resigned his military commission in 1783.
It was the first peaceful transfer of power in American history, and it set the precedent for how electoral transitions are supposed to happen in this country.
Democracy is our greatest heirloom as a nation.
It’s NOT something we invented… it’s something we inherited from our founders…
And it’s something we hope to pass on and make more beautiful for the next generation.
On Tuesday, the American people engaged in their democracy, exercised their voice, and made Donald Trump the next President of the United States.
Over the next two and a half months, we will continue to partner with the Biden-Harris Administration to leave no one behind –
And over the next two and half months, we will ALSO prepare for the incoming Trump-Vance Administration, in a way that ensures we can, again, leave no one behind.
And look: I recognize there is a lot of uncertainty.
I understand there’s real fear.
I know there’s frustration.
Marylanders are worried about what this election means for themselves, their families, and their future.
As all of you know, I personally worked hard to make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States.
I know this isn’t a result that a majority of Marylanders hoped for… but this IS a result we have prepared for.
This morning, I want all Marylanders to hear two things very clearly:
First:
We are ready to work with the incoming administration to ensure that Marylanders are protected, and our goal to make this Maryland's decade has not changed one bit.
I know there are people in our state who voted for Donald Trump – and there are people in our state who voted for Kamala Harris.
The common denominator is that they are all Marylanders. And they will all be defended, they will be protected, and they will be heard.
That is our pledge.
Second: We are prepared for this moment.
In February, I convened my advisors to begin scenario-planning for possible outcomes of the 2024 presidential election.
Our goal has been to secure Maryland's transition under a new federal administration – in the event of any outcome.
We have worked tirelessly for months, analyzing how Donald Trump's plans might impact Maryland.
We have brought together agency leaders – government officials – and public servants from all parts of our state.
We have run and pressure-tested countless scenarios based on policy changes that might happen in Washington.
And as we look ahead, our administration will be guided by four key values as the new president takes office.
First and foremost: We will continue to deliver for Marylanders.
It is the top priority of this administration to take care of our people.
We are going to focus on ensuring that the basic services we provide every day continue to function as they’re intended.
Our agenda is already delivering results.
Preliminary data suggests we’ve seen a 15 percent decrease in homicides and a 30 percent decrease in non-fatal shootings statewide through our all-of-the-above approach to public safety.
We’ve moved in partnership with the General Assembly and local leaders to drive down costs by investing in child care and housing affordability.
And whether we’re talking about health care, or education, or many other key priorities…
This administration will continue to demonstrate exactly what good government looks like.
Second: We will defend our constitutional rights.
In Maryland, we believe in freedom and liberty.
These are principles I defended when I served in the United States Army.
These are principles we cherish as custodians of the public trust.
When I was sworn in as the 63rd governor, I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and Laws of Maryland.
It is an oath I take very seriously.
The people of our state voted resoundingly to codify the right to choose into the Maryland Constitution.
That right will be honored and respected in the State of Maryland.
And we will continue to work together to stand up for the basic rights of all Marylanders.
Third: We must grow our economy.
As I’ve said repeatedly, even before I took office: We need a balance sheet that matches our aspirations.
We are going to continue to move with fiscal discipline – as we drive growth, invest responsibly, and create opportunity.
We don’t yet fully know how the Trump-Vance Administration will enact their economic plan, or exactly how it would affect us in Maryland.
But we are prepared for all possibilities – and our North Star principle of driving Work, Wages, and Wealth has not changed.
For this to be Maryland’s Decade, we need to focus on economic competitiveness. And that work continues, no matter who sits in the White House.
Fourth: We must restore faith in our public servants, our institutions, and our democracy.
We need to build trust between our leaders and the people we serve.
We need to ensure that the public understands they have a government that is actively listening to them, regardless of which party they belong to.
And we need to keep and protect our democracy – and stand up to threats that imperil it.
This is a time for us to prove what a government of the people, by the people, and for the people can achieve…
A government that is data-driven, heart-led, responsive to the needs of our constituents, and defined by the shared principles of a healthy democracy.
These are the four key values guiding our work in this moment, as a new president takes office…
Deliver for Marylanders;
Defend our constitutional rights;
Grow our economy;
And restore faith in our public servants, our institutions, and our democracy.
With these values in mind, our cabinet meeting today centers on how we turn months of planning into a clear strategy that can be operationalized and executed.
We will vigorously defend the interests of ALL Marylanders – and we are ready to push back on this new White House when necessary.
But where we CAN find common ground, we will… Not only as a matter of principle – but as a responsibility to the people we represent.
Maryland and the federal government are deeply intertwined.
We are direct neighbors with Washington, D.C. – and have some of the most important federal assets in the country.
Maryland is home to NIH – NIST – NSA – FDA – Fort Meade – and NASA Goddard.
The federal government is our biggest employer, and we have around 140,000 federal employees in our state.
We’re talking about good, hard-working people – from food service workers, to custodial staff, to security officers, to researchers and innovators.
These Marylanders are essential to our national competitiveness – and they are the bedrock of our economy.
Decisions in Washington directly affect them, and we need to keep these Marylanders in the front of our minds in everything we do.
Now – the work ahead won’t be easy. But we will continue moving forward as we always have in our state – together.
We will move in partnership with our local leaders, our county executives, our state elected officials, and Federal Team Maryland–
Our Attorney General, our Presiding Officers, all of our partners inside and outside of government –
The public sector, the private sector, the philanthropic sector, the nonprofit sector – and beyond –
Because partnership produces progress, and nothing else does.
And we will continue to be guided by the will of the people who put us here in the first place.
We have all been working together over the last two years to put the interests of Marylanders first –
And that is what we will continue to do, because the people of our state deserve nothing less.
And no matter what the future holds, I want Marylanders to hear this message loud and clear…
Maryland is prepared –
Maryland is coordinated –
Maryland is ready.
Thank you all so much.