Linking Trump to Project 2025

A great new Harris ad, and some details you can take to the watercooler.

Aug 29, 2024

Written by DemCast’s Brenna Urban

We have to keep tying Trump to the deeply unpopular Project 2025.

So here are some facts you can bring to your conversations that prove his connection to the plan.

He Feigns Ignorance

Trump began distancing himself from Project 2025 as soon as the 900-page document became widely discussed earlier this year. He has denied knowledge of Project 2025 both at his rallies and on Truth Social, going so far as to accuse the “Radical Left Democrats” of “pure disinformation."

It’s obvious why Trump wants to distance himself from the extremist agenda - but is there any weight to his declarations of ignorance?

Well, if you know anything about Trump, it will not come as a surprise that his claims of having “no idea who is behind” Project 2025 are lies told to further distance himself from the massively unpopular document and those who authored it. Of course, Trump is all too aware of those responsible for the manifesto - The Heritage Foundation.

Connections to Heritage

The Heritage Foundation is a conservative think-tank that advocates for far-right policies. Trump has long-held ties to The Heritage Foundation. In fact, during his presidency, he enacted 64% of the policies recommended by Heritage, including withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord and UNESCO, increasing work requirements for families in need of financial assistance, and gutting essential government agencies.

Additionally, at least 70 Heritage workers were in Trump’s administration or on his transition team.

The current President of The Heritage Foundation, Kevin Roberts, who wrote the forward to Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership, has claimed that the mission behind Project 2025 is to “destroy the administrative state”.

But does he have ties to Trump?

Yes. Not only has Roberts stated that the goal of The Heritage Foundation is “institutionalizing Trumpism”, but there is also evidence that Trump met with Roberts in 2022 on a flight to an annual Heritage conference. Even Roberts himself has admitted to discussing Project 2025 with Trump.

Connections to P25’s Authors

Trump is also directly connected to the authors behind Project 2025. For example, 25 of the manifesto’s 30 chapters were written (or co-written) by Trump officials, and at least 140 people who worked for Trump are behind Project 2025.

Trump will continue to distance himself from the extremist agenda as long as it benefits him. However, if he gains power, Trump will enact their sinister policies to dismantle our democratic system and institute authoritarianism.