Project 2025 seeks to dismantle the ‘deep state’ and give advice to the next president; Democrats want to use it as a tool against frontrunner Donald Trump
An initiative to reduce government overreach and eliminate the influential “deep state” is coming under fire by Democrats who plan to use it against former President Donald Trump in the final stretch of the 2024 election campaign.
The Heritage Foundation – a prominent conservative think tank originally influential during Ronald Reagan’s presidency – announced Project 2025 in April 2023 as a plan to insert Christians into key government positions in the event of a Republican victory in 2024. Founded in 1973, the Heritage Foundation that helped shape Reagan’s policies is now preparing a comprehensive plan to support a potential second Trump administration.
According to dailysignal.com, which is the Heritage Foundation’s news outlet, Project 2025 is a coalition of conservative leaders and former political appointees that has compiled a game plan for the next conservative president to restructure the federal government’s bureaucracy to make it more cost-effective, high-performing, and accountable to the American people.
One of the aims of the Project 2025 initiative is to rectify personnel criticisms of Trump’s first term. However, it appears the Democrats are preparing to use Project 2025 to attack Trump in the final stages of the 2024 election cycle, according to published reports.
In response, Project 2025 leadership says that it does not speak for any candidate or campaign, but rather for a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president. It says it is ultimately up to the president, who they believe will be President Donald Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement – if any.
Project 2025 adds the Biden campaign should focus on addressing the 25th Amendment instead of Project 2025 due to rising concerns about President Joe Biden’s ability to carry out the duties of his office for another term. It suggested the Democrat’s focus on Project 2025 is simply an attempt to distract from the ongoing fallout from President Biden’s disastrous debate performance and calls for him to step aside clearing the way for another candidate.
“It is not enough for conservatives to win elections. If we are going to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left, we need both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on Day One of the next conservative Administration,” the Project 2025 website states.
For his part, former President Trump has disavowed Project 2025, saying in a Truth Social post “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they are saying and some of the things they are saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
Groups that have signed on to support Project 2025 include the American Family Association, The James Madison Institute, the Center for Renewing America, The American Family Project, Americans United for Life, Eagle Forum, Family Research Council, Gun Owners Association, Hillsdale College, Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, Liberty University, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Tea Party Patriots, and Turning Point USA.
In a Baptist News Global (BNG) analysis piece about Project 2025, Steve Rabey writes, “Heritage and Trump consider the 2 million civilian members of the federal workforce the ‘deep state.’ Given the chance, Heritage is planning an unprecedented reduction in the federal workforce, starting with people who aren’t loyal to Trump.”
Kevin D. Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, is quoted in the BNG article as saying, “Those of us working on this project intend to make sure that the deep state can no longer throttle conservative governance through administrative sabotage.” The article adds, “(Roberts) plans to take another swipe of the long-running conservative boogeyman, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding to PBS and NPR.”
President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has worked to draw more attention to the Project 2025 agenda, particularly as Biden tries to keep fellow Democrats on board after his disastrous debate.
“He’s trying to hide his connections to his allies’ extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Biden said of Trump in a statement released by his campaign Saturday. “The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American.
Related:
Project 2025: Presidential Transition Project (Official site)
The 4-Point Game Plan for a Conservative President to Dismantle the Deep State That Undermined Trump
Conservative groups draw up plan to dismantle the US government and replace it with Trump’s vision (Associated Press)
Inside the Next Republican Revolution (POLITICO)
No Christian can support Trump, except perhaps as a matter of willful blindness.