We have been hearing about Project 2025 on a regular basis in the run-up to the election, and while bits and pieces of the plan may have come out through media coverage, some may wonder about its full scope. You can actually read the document yourself online here, but at over 900 pages, that is a rather daunting task. The book is essentially a blueprint for running the government for the next president, put together by the conservative think tank known as the Heritage Foundation. Here’s one of the first sentences from the website describing Project 2025:
Project 2025 is a historic movement, brought together by over 100 respected organizations from across the conservative movement, to abolish the Deep State and return government to the people.
They then go on to say:
Project 2025 is not partisan, nor is it secret. Project 2025 does not speak for any candidate or campaign, in any capacity. It was stood up in 2022, before any major candidate announced a campaign, to assist the next conservative president.
The problem with their claims that they are not partisan is that they refer to themselves as members of the conservative movement in the very first sentence and then claim they are going after the “Deep State,” referencing a right wing conspiracy theory. They also state that the agenda is designed to help the next conservative president, clearly emphasizing their right-leaning partisanship.
As is common with the Republican party, which has come heavily under the influence of the far right wing, they deny something right to our faces while simultaneously confirming it. If Project 2025 is truly non-partisan, why the emphasis on the alignment with the conservative movement, which is closely associated with the Republican Party? This introduction alone should serve as a warning to proceed into the document with caution, and the plan gets worse the further you read.
Five Key Aspects of Project 2025
Project 2025 has a very broad scope in the designs it lays out for running the government. The following are five key aspects, all of which should raise concerns:
Strengthening Executive Power: One of the primary goals is to expand the power of the president and the Executive Branch to the point where there are few checks and balances restraining them. This is similar to what we have seen with Vladimir Putin’s Russia and Viktor Orbán’s Hungary and stands in direct opposition to our constitutional structure. Some may remember when the Republicans directed scathing criticism at President Obama, claiming he had over-reached his authority while in office. Yet now they are trying to consolidate as much power as possible in the Executive Branch and hand it over to Donald Trump.
Reshaping Federal Agencies: This follows directly from the point above, as Project 2025 seeks to reduce the size of federal agencies and replace career bureaucrats with loyalists appointed by the Executive Branch. While reducing the size of agencies and shaking up the bureaucracy may have some merits, making them less independent and staffing them with individuals beholden to the president raises concerns. This helps consolidate power in the executive branch and undermines the checks and balances of the U.S. government.
Family and Abortion: According to Project 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services should “maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family.” And while the document does not advocate for a national abortion ban, it calls for a ban on the abortion pill mifepristone and it also calls for collecting data on abortions across the country, potentially tracking women with pregnancies. The problem with the definition of family is that the U.S. is a secular nation, and enforcing Christian ideals on everyone, regardless of beliefs, would violate that principle and basic human rights and would put us one step closer to becoming a Christo-Nationalist country. And the abortion regulation in the document could certainly go along with, and potentially facilitate, a national ban, if the Republicans chose to go that direction, while also infringing on the rights of women.
Immigration Policy Reform: As expected from a conservative-leaning agenda, Project 2025 seeks to implement stricter immigration controls, including continuing construction on the border wall and tightening asylum rules. These measures have been labeled harsh by immigration advocates and will do little to address issues like illegal drugs coming over the border or the crime and violence associated with that. Critics also argue it could lead to human rights violations and further marginalize vulnerable populations, such as asylum seekers and refugees.
Dismantling DE&I Policies: This agenda promises to target policies referred to by the document and by conservatives as “woke” related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and aims to reduce the influence of progressive ideals in government institutions. This has been criticized for potentially threatening civil rights protections, particularly for minorities and those in the LGBTQ+ community. Many argue that these DE&I policies are important for ensuring fair treatment in government and society, especially for marginalized communities.
Does Project 2025 Align with Trump’s Policies?
Donald Trump has repeatedly denied knowing about Project 2025 and claims he has no connection to those who created it. However, the Heritage Foundation has a long-standing relationship with the former president, offering policy guidance and recommendations during his presidency. One of the key people who developed the agenda is Trump’s former Department of Homeland Security official, Gene Hamilton. Other contributors who were previously part of Trump’s administration include Russ Vought (Director of the Office of Management and Budget), Ken Cuccinelli (Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security), Mark Meadows (Chief of Staff), John McEntee (Director of the Presidential Personnel Office), and Stephen Miller (Senior Advisor).
As for Trump’s policies, he has not articulated many beyond positioning himself as the savior of the country, but much of Project 2025 closely aligns with his rhetoric and the direction of his first presidency. He has long advocated for greater presidential authority and fewer restrictions on executive power. He has also called for reducing the influence of career bureaucrats and was already in the process of installing loyalists at the end of his last term.
Other areas where Project 2025 aligns with Trump’s stated direction include immigration and targeting “woke” policies. Both Trump and Project 2025 advocate a stricter approach to immigration, and the agenda contains mechanisms to support mass deportations and detainment camps. Trump has also been vocal about dismantling progressive policies related to race, gender, and inclusion, which aligns closely with the DE&I positions set out in the document.
When combined with the broad immunity that the Supreme Court has granted to the president, this creates dangerous precedents and gives the Executive Branch far too much leeway. If Project 2025 is allowed to guide the next president, especially someone like Trump, who has shown little restraint and a desire to hold as much power as possible, it could dismantle our democratic system and lead to years of authoritarian rule. The document is antithetical to our constitutional government and the separation of church and state, representing a clear and present danger to the country. For years, the Republican Party decried “big government” interfering in our lives, but now they want to use Project 2025 to embolden and empower that government in a very big way to put an iron grip over the U.S. and force their conservative agenda on the populace.
How Do We Stop Project 2025?
The answer is simple: vote. Go out and vote, and convince everyone you know to vote. Vote against Trump and all the members of the Republican Party who support him and this agenda. You may not agree with all the policies and ideas supported by Kamala Harris, but she does not pose a direct threat to our democracy (and for those who call that divisive rhetoric, I’ll ask you to read what I wrote about that here).
It is true that Republicans are doing a lot to suppress voting by those who oppose them (more on that in an upcoming post), but if we head to the polls in large enough numbers, we can potentially counter that. As Glen Kirschner says, vote in numbers that are “too big to rig, too real to steal.” Don’t listen to the polls or pundits or worry about how close or far off the numbers are. Just vote. And don’t believe your ballot doesn’t make a difference, especially considering that Trump won by the narrowest margin in the 2016 election. Get out and vote for democracy. Even if you don’t necessarily agree with the Democrats (I also have issues with what they have done and failed to do), we can deal with that next time around.
Trump has already told people that they won’t have to worry about voting after this election if he wins, so take that as a clear call to action. If you want to vote again—and hopefully for a more palatable choices—vote against Trump, Project 2025, and the far-right Republicans. It may be the only way to save our democracy.