Controversial Project 2025 a Headache for Trump

The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump distances himself from Project 2025 – an ultra-conservative and notorious plan to change the governance of the USA. The Democrats, in turn, have made the plan a main issue in their election campaign.

» Updated: July 30 2024

» Published: July 21 2024

Controversial Project 2025 a Headache for Trump
Photo: Joy Asico-Smith/AP/TT

The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is distancing himself from Project 2025 – an ultra-conservative and much-discussed plan to change the governance of the USA.

The Democrats, in turn, have made the plan a main issue in their election campaign.

Fire tens of thousands of non-political officials and replace them with people loyal to the Republicans. Strengthen the president's power significantly. Further restrict the right to abortion.

These are some of the proposals in Project 2025, a 900-page action plan for what Trump should do if he wins the election in November. Behind the plan stands the conservative Heritage Foundation.

It is one of the most influential think tanks in the USA, says Erik Åsard, professor emeritus of North American Studies at Uppsala University.

It has gone from focusing on preserving traditional values and institutions to advocating a kind of Christian nationalism.

"Revolution"

In the Trump camp, there is concern that the more extreme proposals will scare off uncertain voters. Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025 and claimed that he knows nothing about the plan or the people behind it.

This after Heritage Foundation's chairman Kevin Roberts made a criticized statement that the USA is "in the midst of a second American revolution, which will be bloodless if the left lets it be."

At the same time, at least 140 people who worked in Trump's previous government have been involved in Project 2025, according to CNN. At a conference organized by Heritage Foundation in 2022, Trump praised the think tank and said that it "will create the foundation and detailed plans for exactly what our movement will do."

Close ties

Trump's vice presidential candidate J D Vance also has close ties to the think tank.

If the platform were to be implemented by a new government, it would mean a dramatic shift of the entire American society in a right-wing radical direction, says Åsard.

But it assumes that Trump wins the election and gets Congress to back his reforms.

The Democrats see Project 2025 as an ace in the hole for President Joe Biden's faltering election campaign and are planning a comprehensive campaign on the theme.

The Democrats will highlight the extreme proposals in that document and point out that this is what it will be like if Trump comes to power.

Particularly controversial is the idea of replacing officials with Republican loyalists, which would make it easier for Trump to get his policies through without obstacles. The Democrats argue that it would mean a politicization of the authorities and a threat to democracy.

Critics argue that the administration would become like a lapdog to Trump.

The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation has been working on action plans with "wish lists" for what they want to see from Republican governments since the beginning of the 1980s.

These action plans usually have a significant impact on politics.

The action plan for this year's election is called Project 2025 and is unusually comprehensive.

Among the wishes are to strengthen presidential power and change the state apparatus, abolish the education department and several other authorities, make abortions no longer part of healthcare, dismantle climate policy, abolish diversity initiatives, deport undocumented migrants, and lower taxes.

Source: Forbes, The New York Times

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Harrods Launches Fund to Compensate
1 MIN READ

Harrods Launches Fund to Compensate Victims of al-Fayed's Abuse

Bosnian Serb Leader Dodik Confirms
1 MIN READ

Bosnian Serb Leader Dodik Confirms Arrival in Moscow

EU Expresses Willingness to Work
1 MIN READ

EU Expresses Willingness to Work with Syria's New Government

Putin Orders 160,000 New Conscripts
1 MIN READ

Putin Orders 160,000 New Conscripts for Russian Military Expansion

Zelensky Calls for European Unity
2 MIN READ

Zelensky Calls for European Unity at Butja Massacre Memorial

Japan's Mega-Quake Risk: New Estimate
1 MIN READ

Japan's Mega-Quake Risk: New Estimate Predicts 298,000 Lives at Stake

US Sanctions Hong Kong Police
1 MIN READ

US Sanctions Hong Kong Police Chief Over Rights Restrictions

Verdict Against Le Pen Casts
2 MIN READ

Verdict Against Le Pen Casts Doubt on Presidential Ambitions

UAE Court Sentences Three Uzbeks
1 MIN READ

UAE Court Sentences Three Uzbeks to Death for Rabbi's Murder

Central Asian Nations Resolve Fergana
1 MIN READ

Central Asian Nations Resolve Fergana Valley Dispute

1,001 Killed in Gaza After
1 MIN READ

1,001 Killed in Gaza After Ceasefire Ends, Health Officials Report

Putin Open to Talks with
1 MIN READ

Putin Open to Talks with Trump Despite Recent Tensions

Democrats Seek New Leadership as
6 MIN READ

Democrats Seek New Leadership as Trump Dominates US Politics

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Explosion in Spanish Coal Mine Claims Five Lives

Hamas Urges Global Resistance to
1 MIN READ

Hamas Urges Global Resistance to Trump's Controversial Gaza Plan

Families Hold Vigil at Bangkok
2 MIN READ

Families Hold Vigil at Bangkok Skyscraper Collapse Site

Swedish Man Extradited to Norway
1 MIN READ

Swedish Man Extradited to Norway in Major Drug Trafficking Case

Netanyahu Accuses Judiciary of Holding
2 MIN READ

Netanyahu Accuses Judiciary of Holding Bribery Suspects Hostage

Marine Le Pen Barred from
3 MIN READ

Marine Le Pen Barred from 2027 Election After Embezzlement Verdict

Zelensky Prepares for Possible Ukrainian
1 MIN READ

Zelensky Prepares for Possible Ukrainian Election This Summer

Three Missing US Soldiers in
1 MIN READ

Three Missing US Soldiers in Lithuania Found Dead

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Power
2 MIN READ

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Power Line Attacks Amid Drone Strikes

Israel Urges Palestinians in Southern
1 MIN READ

Israel Urges Palestinians in Southern Gaza to Relocate to al-Mawasi

Iran Vows Powerful Response if
1 MIN READ

Iran Vows Powerful Response if US Launches Attack

Three Found Dead in Southern
1 MIN READ

Three Found Dead in Southern Norway; Police Investigate Link

Netanyahu Appoints New Security Chief
1 MIN READ

Netanyahu Appoints New Security Chief Despite Court Block and Protests

Myanmar Earthquake Claims Over 2,000
2 MIN READ

Myanmar Earthquake Claims Over 2,000 Lives, Thousands Injured

Le Pen's Presidential Hopes in
3 MIN READ

Le Pen's Presidential Hopes in Jeopardy as Fraud Verdict Looms

Trump Accuses Zelenskyj of Backing
1 MIN READ

Trump Accuses Zelenskyj of Backing Out of US Mineral Deal

Zelensky Thanks Stubb for Finland's
2 MIN READ

Zelensky Thanks Stubb for Finland's Support After Trump Golf Diplomacy

Ice Storm Leaves 500,000 Without
1 MIN READ

Ice Storm Leaves 500,000 Without Power Across US and Canada

Islamic Extremists Suspected in Deadly
1 MIN READ

Islamic Extremists Suspected in Deadly Attack on Burkina Faso Soldiers

Trump Hints at Third Term
1 MIN READ

Trump Hints at Third Term Despite Constitutional Limits

Erna Solberg Witnesses Ukraine's War
1 MIN READ

Erna Solberg Witnesses Ukraine's War Devastation on Frontline Journey

US Students Face Deportation Over
3 MIN READ

US Students Face Deportation Over Alleged Pro-Palestinian Support

Red Cross Condemns Israeli Attack
1 MIN READ

Red Cross Condemns Israeli Attack on Ambulance Workers in Rafah

Trump Warns of Strikes if
1 MIN READ

Trump Warns of Strikes if Iran Rejects Peace Deal Proposal

Trump Frustrated with Putin Over
1 MIN READ

Trump Frustrated with Putin Over Ukraine, Threatens New Tariffs

Erdogan Urges PKK to Disarm
1 MIN READ

Erdogan Urges PKK to Disarm Without Delay

Tsunami Warning Lifted After 7.1
1 MIN READ

Tsunami Warning Lifted After 7.1 Earthquake Near Tonga