Following severe and continuous backlash, including from Donald Trump, the director of Project 2025 has resigned. The director of Project 2025, Paul Dans, was a former senior adviser to the president during Trump’s administration.
However, following the outrage that followed the controversial Project 2025, Trump spoke against the leader. He also distanced himself from the project, which had many disturbing proposals and sparked public outrage.
The Announcement
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the president of the Heritage Foundation, Dr. Kevin Roberts, released a statement. He confirmed Dans’ resignation from the project and his departure from the Heritage Foundation, the organization that created Project 2025.
Roberts said, “Under Paul Dans’ leadership, Project 2025 has completed exactly what it set out to do: bringing together over 110 leading conservative organizations to create a unified conservative vision, motivated to devolve power from the unelected administrative state, and returning it to the people.”
Additionally, Roberts said, “This tool was built for any future administration to use.” According to a Heritage spokesperson, although Dans has since left his role and the organization, the mission remains the same. The spokesperson added that work will continue on the current phase of Project 2025.
Donald Trump and Project 2025
Since the start of 2024, Trump has actively spoken out against Project 2025 in what seems like an attempt to distance himself from the project. In one of his criticisms, Trump described some of the project’s ideas as “completely ridiculous and horrible.”
Additionally, Trump claimed that he had no clue who started or ran the organization. According to Chris LaCivita, Trump’s senior adviser, Project 2025 was a serious problem for the Trump campaign.
LaCivita and Susie Wiles, Trump’s campaign manager, released a statement on behalf of his campaign team. They claimed that since 2023, they have been clarifying that Project 2025 has nothing to do with Trump and his campaign.
The statement continued, “Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign—it will not end well for you.”
Kamala Harris’ Campaign Speaks on the Project
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Kamala Harris’ campaign stated its plans to continue sharing details about Project 2025, even with new leadership. Just as President Joe Biden did. Harris has made criticizing Project 2025 her number-one priority as she begins her presidential campaign.
Addressing the project, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris’ campaign manager, said that the only reason Project 2025 is on the ballot is because Trump is there too. Rodriguez continued, “This is his agenda, written by his allies, for Donald Trump to inflict on our country.”
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“Hiding the 920-page blueprint from the American people doesn’t make it any less real; in fact, it should make voters more concerned about what else Trump and his allies are hiding,” she added.
What Is Project 2025?
Project 2025 is commonly referred to by conservatives across the country as Trump’s second-term blueprint. It is led by ex-administration officials who share key policy goals with Trump’s stance on immigration and federal workforce restructuring.
However, the project also contains contentious ideas that Trump has yet to address. The proposals include banning pornography and reversing federal approval of the abortion pill mifepristone.
However, the reversal excludes morning-after pills and men’s contraceptives from ACA coverage and tightens rules for transgender transitions. Additionally, another important goal of Project 2025 is to “restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children.”
It also aims to change the discourse on the objectives conservatives thought they might accomplish if Republicans won back the White House. As reported internally, Project 2025’s next phase is expected to focus on staff structure while pausing policy work.
In a 900-page playbook, the project outlines drastic changes for government and society, fueling Democrats’ concerns over a potential Trump comeback.
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Project 2025 Leader
As stated earlier, Project 2025 leader is Paul Dans, a Republican political operative and former member of the Donald Trump administration. Dans’ affiliation with Trump has been a hassle for the former president.
As a result, Trump aims for a streamlined Republican platform to prevent Democrats from gaining advantage and conflicting with broader goals. However, his strong ties to the group’s founders made it difficult for him to maintain a distance from them.
An examination found that at least 140 Trump administration employees, including over half of the “Mandate for Leadership” authors, supported the project. Dans embodied the shift from being a Trump insider to an advocate of the project.
During the Trump administration, he was the chief of staff of the US Office of Personnel Management, acting as a point of contact between the White House and the agency. He declared earlier this year in Nashville to a group of conservative broadcasters that if Trump were to win, he would work for him once more.
Additionally, he has reassured Trump’s followers that if the former president moved back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Project 2025 would come to pass. In June 2024, he likened the project to a D-Day plan during an interview with Steve Bannon and encouraged participation.
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