Trump Denounces Project 2025’s Ideas as ‘Ridiculous’

On Friday, former President Donald Trump publicly distanced himself from Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation. In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump described some of the project’s proposals as “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” expressing a clear lack of familiarity with the initiative. Despite the fact that Project 2025 involves several former members of his administration and has been associated with him due to its extensive policy recommendations, Trump claimed ignorance about its origins and the individuals behind it. His comments come as President Joe Biden’s campaign seizes on Project 2025 to criticize Trump, highlighting the project’s controversial agenda and recent provocative remarks made by Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, who suggested that America could be on the brink of a “second American Revolution.”

Trump’s statement on Truth Social conveyed his disapproval of Project 2025, stating, “I know nothing about Project 2025” and asserting that he does not recognize the individuals involved. He further stated that he disagrees with some of the proposals put forth by the project, calling them “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.” Trump concluded by wishing the initiative well but emphasizing his lack of involvement, saying, “Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.” This response comes amidst growing scrutiny from Biden’s campaign, which has used Trump’s statements to highlight perceived inconsistencies and question his connection to Project 2025.

Project 2025, overseen by the Heritage Foundation, has been linked to Trump due to its leadership structure, which includes two former Trump administration officials among its three directors. Additionally, many contributors to its policy agenda are known to have worked with or supported Trump. The Biden-Harris campaign has responded to Trump’s disavowal by challenging its credibility. They have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to accuse Trump of dishonesty, asserting that his denial of involvement with Project 2025 is misleading given the strong connections between his former aides and the project. They have also circulated a video of Trump speaking at a Heritage Foundation event, further questioning his claim of ignorance.

In response, the Trump campaign has reiterated its position that Project 2025 does not reflect the official strategy or policy of the campaign. Campaign officials have pointed to a December memo authored by senior advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, which explicitly distanced the campaign from external groups like Project 2025. This memo underscores the campaign’s stance that Project 2025 is an independent initiative and not indicative of Trump’s current policy positions.

Project 2025 has defended itself against these criticisms, clarifying that it is not aligned with any specific candidate or campaign. The initiative, described as a coalition of conservative groups, aims to provide policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative administration, which they anticipate will be led by Trump. They have criticized the Biden campaign for focusing on Project 2025 rather than addressing broader issues, including a reference to the 25th Amendment in their response.

Trump’s remarks highlight his disassociation from the project, as he declared, “I know nothing about Project 2025” and expressed disagreement with some of its proposals, describing them as “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.” He stressed that while he wishes the initiative luck, he has no involvement with it.

Project 2025, or the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, has been described as a comprehensive “wish list” for a potential GOP administration in 2025, with Trump as a likely candidate. The project’s extensive agenda, known as the “Mandate for Leadership,” was released last April and includes controversial proposals such as increasing presidential control over federal agencies, enhancing border wall funding, and removing the abortion pill mifepristone from the market. This agenda has faced substantial criticism from Democrats, who have also targeted recent comments by Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, suggesting that the U.S. might be experiencing a second revolution that could remain nonviolent if left-leaning forces allow it.

In mid-June, Democratic Congressional leaders launched the Stop Project 2025 Task Force in response to the initiative. Roberts dismissed this task force as ineffective, asserting that the project “will not be ‘stopped’ by an unserious, mistake-riddled press release or a task force of House Democrats lacking a basic understanding of federal governance.” The Biden campaign has also intensified its attacks on Project 2025 following the Trump-Biden debate, using the initiative as a focal point in their broader critique of Trump’s policy positions and campaign affiliations.