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By Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- President-elect Donald Trump's political honeymoon is not likely to last long, as bitter partisan rivalries are expected to pick up again, experts said.
Trump shocked the world earlier this month when he pulled off what analysts, pundits and political prognosticators all said would be a very unlikely victory, as most experts said the odds were overwhelmingly in favor of rival Hillary Clinton.
In his victory speech, Trump said "Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of divisions; have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."
Now, Trump says he wants a fresh start. In a Thanksgiving address, Trump called for an end to rivalries, saying "we have before us the chance now to make history together."
But experts said Trump's honeymoon will be short lived, as the brash billionaire is expected to continue to spark controversy, and Democrats will oppose many of his policies.
"There isn't going to be a long honeymoon. Opponents still are smarting from Trump's harsh tone and misinformation campaign. He has appointed extreme people as advisors so it does not look like it is likely he will moderate his tone," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.
Historically, the first 100 days of a new presidency are a breaking in period, in which the press and the opposition go easy on the new president.
But Trump's choice of White House staff has sparked early controversy, as he prepares to take the helm at the White House.
The choice of Steve Bannon as Trump's chief of staff is taking heat from U.S. media, members of Congress, and left-leaning groups. Bannon, who publishes online news website Breitbart, is being lambasted by a number of liberal groups for what they call promoting racist ideology in his publication. Some groups are even calling for Bannon to get booted out.
Earlier this month, 169 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Trump, asking him to rescind the appointment of Bannon.
Moreover, the incoming administration is already causing raised eyebrows on other fronts, such as the role that the president-elect's son-in-law might play in the new government.
Last week the New York Times reported that Jared Kushner, the husband of Trump's daughter Ivanka, spoke to a lawyer to find out if it would be legal, under federal anti-nepotism laws, for him to play a role in the White House.
This comes just days after Kushner, who played a major advisory role in Trump's campaign, fired New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a major Republican Party figure who was expected to hold a position in the new administration.
A 1967 federal anti-nepotism law, which was implemented after former President John Kennedy gave his brother, Robert Kennedy, the position of attorney general, states that no official can hire a member of his or her family. But news reports indicate the Kushner is trying to find out if those can be legally circumvented.
Critics are also concerned about the blurring of lines between government service and running a wildly lucrative business, as Kushner heads a major real estate business and owns the New York Observer newspaper.
There are also concerns that Trump will rely heavily on his children for advice and depend on them to carry out crucial decisions, as he has always done while running his billion-dollar business empire.
In addition, Trump planned to go forth with an agenda that has been blasted by Democrats, such as his plans on immigration.
"Democrats will oppose much of what he is doing," West said. "Trump plans to go much further than either Bush or Reagan," he added, referring to previous Republican presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, who were disliked by the opposition.
Moreover, Trump during his campaign showed what critics called an inability to control his temper.
"His temper will get him in trouble because he takes criticism personally. He has retained his tendency to lash out at critics," West said.
Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that while Trump will continue to make calls for unity, he does face the headwind of a highly tribal, partisan American populace.
"While he'll have some momentum with GOP control of government, there will be push back from the Democrats-especially as they begin to hone their message against President Trump as opposed to Candidate Trump," he said.
Democrats will cooperate with Trump on certain issues, but there may be more bitter partisan rivalry to come.
"They are going to try to see where they might cooperate across the aisle on infrastructure issues, perhaps on trade and tax reform as well. That said, it appears that lines are already being drawn, especially in reaction to Cabinet appointments," he said.
