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Comments about Project 2025 from Donald Trump allies have resurfaced after the former president denied any connection with the plan by a conservative think tank to reshape federal government.
Developed by right-wing policy group The Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 proposes to install Republican loyalists at every level of federal departments, if Trump is reelected in November.
The 900-page document has contributions from more than 30 authors and 50 conservative-leaning campaign groups, other think tanks, educational institutions and publications. Project 2025 also proposes repealing policies of the previous administration within the first six months of a second Trump administration, including environmental regulations and social policies.
On Friday, Trump appeared to criticize the plan while denying his involvement in it.
"I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday.
But Trump allies have commented on the project in the past and appear to suggest the presumptive Republican presidential candidate must have known about it, as per resurfaced posts on social media.
Kevin Roberts, currently President of the Heritage Foundation, has even credited Trump with creating Project 2025.
Speaking at a Christian conference in February in Nashville, Texas, he said: "Our Project 2025 has developed a comprehensive policy agenda but even more importantly recruiting people, 20,000 people, to go into the next administration hopefully to help take back this country for you and for your audiences."
He continued: "We want no credit, we want the American people if President Trump is elected again, President Trump and his administration to take credit for that."
A video of his speech was tweeted by American film director Morgan J. Freeman.
Some advisers involved in Project 2025 are also Trump allies. One is Russell Vought, who was Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget from July 2020 to January 2021, as pointed out by the Biden campaign on X. Another is Paul Dans, who worked in the Trump administration.
Newsweek contacted a representative for Trump by email to comment on this story.
Critics have said Project 2025 will limit democracy and social welfare, while supporters say it is necessary to streamline the federal government and reduce spending.
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About the writer
Kate Plummer is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. politics and national affairs, and ... Read more