I wonder how many voters have read Project 2025 or heard of it. Apparently enough to worry Trump, who claims that he knows nothing about it or who wrote it. The 900-page document was drafted by people who are well known to him; it’s supposed to be the master plan for the next Trump term.
Heather Cox Richardson explained the controversy about Project 2025:
For all that certain members of the media continue their freakout over Biden’s electability after his appearance in last Thursday’s event on CNN, it is Trump and his Republicans who appear to be nervous about the upcoming election.
Journalist Jennifer Schulze of Heartland Signal noted today that as of 8:00 this morning, the New York Times had published 192 pieces on Biden’s debate performance: 142 news articles and 50 opinion pieces. Trump was covered in 92 stories, about half of which were about the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. Although Trump has frequently slurred his words or trailed off while speaking and repeatedly fell asleep at his own criminal trial, none of the pieces mentioned Trump’s mental fitness.
But for all of what independent journalists are calling a “feeding frenzy,” egged on by right-wing media figures, it seems as if the true implications of Project 2025 are starting to gain traction and the Trump campaign recognizes that the policies that document advocates are hugely unpopular.
On July 2, Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts assured Trump ally Steve Bannon’s followers that they are winning in what he called “the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.” In March, Roberts told former Trump administration official and now right-wing media figure Sebastian Gorka about Project 2025: “There are parts of the plan that we will not share with the Left: the executive orders, the rules and regulations. Just like a good football team we don’t want to tip off our playbook to the Left.”
This morning, although Roberts has described Project 2025 as “institutionalizing Trumpism,” Trump’s social media feed tried to distance the former president from Project 2025. “I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it,” the post read. Despite this disavowal of any knowledge of the project, it continued: “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.”
In what appeared to be a coordinated statement, the directors of Project 2025 wrote on social media less than two hours later that they “do not speak for any candidate.”
Aside from the fact that “[a]nything they do, I wish them luck,” sounds much like the signaling Trump did to the Proud Boys when he told them to “stand back and stand by,” Trump’s assertion and Project 2025’s response can’t possibly erase the many and deep ties of the Trump camp to Project 2025. Juliet Jeske of Decoding Fox News noted that Trump’s name shows up on more than 190 pages of the Project 2025 playbook.
Rebekah Mercer, who sits on the board of the Heritage Foundation, was one of Trump’s top donors in 2016; her family founded and operated Cambridge Analytica, the company that misused the data of millions of Facebook users to push pro-Trump and anti-Clinton material in 2016. Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has appeared in a Project 2025 video. Trump’s own super PAC has been running ads promoting Project 2025, calling it “Trump’s Project 2025,” and many of its policies—killing the Department of Education, erasing the separation of church and state, ending renewable energy programs and ramping up use of fossil fuels, deporting immigrants—are also Trump’s.
Project 2025’s director, Paul Dans, as well as both of its associate directors, Spencer Chretien and Troup Hemenway, were in charge of personnel in Trump’s White House, and the theme of Project 2025 is that “people are policy,” by which they mean that hand-picked loyalists must replace civil servants. Trump’s former body man John McEntee, who reentered the White House as a senior advisor after having to leave because he failed a background check, was in charge of hiring in the last months of the Trump White House; he helped to draft Project 2025. Key Trump ally Russell Vought wrote the section of Project 2025 that called for an authoritarian leader; he is also on the platform committee of the Republican National Convention.
If indeed Trump knows nothing about Project 2025 and has no idea who is behind it, his cognitive ability is rotten. As former chair of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele wrote, “Since [Project 2025] is designed to institutionalize Trumpism and you know nothing about it, then why do you echo some of its policy priorities during your rallies? Coincidence? And how exactly don’t you know that Project 2025 Director Paul Dans served as your chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management, and Associate Director Spencer Chretien served as your special assistant and associate director of presidential personnel? And folks say we should be worried about Biden.”
Trump’s attempt to distance himself from Project 2025 indicates just how toxic that plan is with voters. As political scientist Ian Bremmer dryly noted, it seems that “the second [A]merican revolution apparently [is] not polling as well as the first in internal focus groups.” Former Republican strategist Rick Wilson was even more direct, saying that Trump was trying to distance himself from Project 2025 because “most of it polls about like Ebola,” the deadly virus that causes severe bleeding and organ failure, and has a mortality rate of 80 to 90%.
The extremism of the MAGA Republicans was on display in another way today as well after The New Republic published a June 30 video of North Carolina lieutenant governor Mark Robinson, currently the Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina, saying to a church audience about their opponents—whom he identified in a scattershot speech as anything from communists to “wicked people” to those standing against “conservatives”—”Kill them! Some liberal somewhere is gonna say that sounds awful. Too bad!… Some folks need killing! It’s time for somebody to say it…”
The other big news today was that the U.S. added 206,000 jobs in June, bringing the total number of jobs created under this administration to 15.7 million. Last month’s numbers were, once again, higher than economists expected and, according to economic analyst Steven Rattner, above job growth levels before the pandemic. He added that these jobs are not simply a bounceback from the depths of the pandemic: 6.2 million more Americans are employed now than before Covid hit.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Here’s the thing. Trump used to be a Democrat. He used to support abortion. Then he didn’t support it under any circumstances and was “the most right to life president ever,” in his own words. Now he supports the abortion pill. Chris Christy thought he was going to supply Trump with a whole transfer of power and governance plan, and he and Trump were best buds. Then Trump as elected and arrived at the White House to find Steven Bannon telling him that he was not wanted in the building. Steve Bannon crafted a whole plan for Trump to oversee a massive infrastructure rebuilding that would put blue collar people to work–a sort of WPA for the 21st century. Trump devoted his entire Inaugural Address to that (in a speech that Bannon probably wrote). And then Trump did none of it.
Why? Because the only principle that Trump holds is “What’s in it for Trump.” His only platform is, “Trump.” These people who think that because Trump is so ignorant and stupid, they can fill the gaps for him and provide him with an actual plan for governance are idiots because TRUMP HAS NO INTEREST IN GOVERNING. He is interested only in appearing on TV and golfing and eating and his news clippings. Unfortunately, he has gotten where he is by hooking up with the ultra-Reich-wingers like Bannon. So, he will generally go in that direction. And he will embrace people. Then he will throw them under the bus. Look at how many of “the best people on the planet,” “right out of central casting,” who worked for him in the first administration, now despise him and are despised by him in return. To get close is to smell him. To know him is to be disgusted by him. He cares for nothing and no one but $$$$ and Trump. He laughs at the Reichwing Christian nationalists like the dullards at Hillsdale and evangelist preachers. They are people with principles–horrifying principles, but principles nonetheless. Trump is devoid of principle. He is totally amoral. And he doesn’t know or understand enough to have any principles, for that matter. He’s an utter simpleton. A mobster. A thug. A would-be tough guy moron.
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cx: Then Trump as elected and Christy arrived at the White House to find Steven Bannon telling him that he was not wanted in the building.
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jeez. was elected
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I am 86 years old, a life-long Democrat, long-time Biden supporter. There is one aspect of the should-Biden-step-down discussion which has gotten insufficient attention. He will be 85 at the end of his term, should he win. I can verify from my own experience that the period from 81 to 85 is a period of significant decline, emotionally, mentally, and physically. I am still with it enough to be concerned about a near age-mate leading our country.
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Best wishes to you, Ms. Crocker. People age at different rates. I used to know a lady of 102 who was sharp as a tack. I would go visit her, and she would read Robbie Berns to me in her delightful Scottish accent. The host of this blog is in her early 80s and still writing brilliantly. She just completed her autobiography. But I hear you. I think that Biden is suffering from hubris and needs to step down due to his particular condition. But I would not say this of all people in their 80s.
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Ellen Crocker,
That comment seems like a veiled insult to the person whose blog this is.
I would object mightily if someone tried to force Diane Ravitch to turn over her blog to someone who supposedly had “less decline”.
I have no doubt that there are plenty of much younger education writers who could easily outrun Diane Ravitch in a 400 meter race. It wouldn’t surprise me if a 40 year old education writer could lift more weights than Diane Ravitch could. Or do more pull-ups.
But no way can they match up mentally against Diane Ravitch. She has more wisdom in her little toe than most younger folks do in their entire bodies.
Ellen, I don’t know what you mean by “emotional decline” at all. I think lots of older folks comment on this blog, and perhaps they’d want to be aware of their emotions declining in the near future.
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^^^Ellen Crocker, I apologize if the comment above sounded snarky. That wasn’t my intent. I read your comment and since Diane Ravitch is 86 years old and still going strong, let my emotions get the best of me. I agree that some people decline between those years, but that’s true of any 4 years after 40 or so. It’s where you end up after the decline, and you seem very sharp yourself, if not what you were 4 years ago. I’m not what I was 4 years ago, either. Once again, I am sorry if my tone was too sharp.
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As I have said a freaking billion times over the last few days, people age at differing rates.
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of course..
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Thank you for sharing your story, your experience, Ms. Crocker. It is so wonderful when people are so honest, and it’s moving to learn from our elders. Bless you.
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My comment was directed to NYC PSP, Ms. Crocker. She doesn’t seem to understand this. You do.
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And so one simply cannot compare people based solely on the number of years they’ve lived.
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Bob, why are you replying to me with what seems to be an uncivil comment “As I have said a freaking billion times over the last few days, people age at differing rates” ? I already know that’s 100% true – you have expressed that view multiple times and I never suggested otherwise.
Was that supposed to be a reply to Ellen? I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but perhaps you made the same error I did previously and hit the reply to me and not Ellen?
This time I was very careful to reply to Ellen (and even address her by name!) so it didn’t appear I was directing that comment to you.
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I was replying to you, NYC, because you made the point that we shouldn’t be concerned about Biden’s age because Diane was even older. This indicates that you believe that one can compare people based on age. You can’t. So, I was not replying to Ellen. I was replying to you and to what YOU JUST FINISHED SAYING.
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Diane is older than Biden in chronological age. But she is obviously much younger than he is with regard to her mental acuity and ability to express herself. She is a remarkable character. And she looks freaking great.
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There are people who run marathons and climb major mountains in their seventies. I attended production of My Fair Lady with a 92-year-old in a major role. There are people who develop dementia in their ’50s and people who die as sharp as they ever were in their late 90s. People are all over the place with regard to how well they age. Diane is in her 80s. The quality of her mind is still staggeringly good–she blows me away, how well she thinks and writes. Her ability at her age has NOTHING to do with Joe Biden. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
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Bob,
Are you really now accusing me of “not understanding” that people age at different rates? You have got to be kidding….
Please cite one time where I said they did not. Like you, I find it problematic when people cite their own specific issues as if it pertained to Biden.
You keep putting words in my mouth, so let me use another person’s words which just happen to express EXACTLY what I believe, so you can stop accusing me of something that isn’t true.
“Whatever Joe Biden’s difficulties with memory and articulation—I perceive no diminution in his capacity to make judgments and decisions”
h/t Bill Rosenthal
That’s my view, period. So why so much discussion about “decline” when it comes to Biden? If someone kept bringing up the supposed “cognitive decline” about another 82 year old doing a bang-up job better than anyone else in decades had done it – which is what Biden has done, I would wonder why they kept bringing up the subject. I’d wonder why they kept putting words in my mouth if I objected.
If you need to get in the last word with some veiled (or direct) insult about me again, you can have it.
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“There is one aspect of the should-Biden-step-down discussion which has gotten INSUFFICIENT attention. He will be 85 at the end of his term, should he win.”
Wait, there has been insufficient attention paid to Biden’s age and how old he would be at the end of his term???
Didn’t the NYT just today write another 5 stories to add to the 200+ they already wrote about his age just in the last 10 days? And the 50 or 100 or so they wrote in year previously.
There has been insufficient attention paid to Project 2025, which is the subject of this blog post. Not insufficient attention paid to Biden’s age.
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She was referring to the age at the end of the next term, and no, this has not been a subject of a LOT of discussion.
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lol – got it! Biden’s “age at the end of the next term” has “has not been a subject of a LOT of discussion.”
I don’t see any need to debate the meaning of “a LOT”, but I just wish voters were constantly inundated with news stories discussing the serious concerns about Project 2025 even half as much as they were inundated with news stories discussing the serious concerns about Biden’s age at the end of the next term.
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Even worse than the paucity of stories on Project 2025 is the lack of sufficient coverage of the horrific consequences of the recent Supreme Court decisions on immunity, Chevron deference, bribery, separation of church and state, guns, and school prayer. This court is just getting started. It is entirely rewriting how things work in the United States, and Conservatives are giddy about this. They are getting, finally, what they have worked for ever since they fought to prevent The New Deal.
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Bob, I agree 100%! Thanks for pointing that out.
The lack of coverage of the horrific consequences of recent Supreme Court decisions whose consequences are quite horrific is journalistic malpractice.
Actually, journalistic malpractice isn’t strong enough. It is active complicity to normalize an authoritarian/neo-fascist/anti-democratic near future for this country.
Whether it is intentional, or just the NYT reporters and the rest of the so-called liberal media being useful idiots for far right extremism is not clear to me, but it is definitely one or the other.
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OK, let’s imagine the world that Project 2025 would bring into being:
GLORIOUS LEADER SIGNALS FOR SILENCE FROM THE CROWD AND BEGINS TO SPEAK: Long, long ago, way, way back in 2024, we were a lost people, aimless, without direction. Then, in the midst of the darkness of that time came a momentous decision by the then Supreme Court: the president had absolute immunity, which means, of course, absolute power. As it should be. It took a lot of blood of patriots to make that promise a genuine reality, but here we are today, the fulfillment of the goal, stated so long, long ago, that out of many would be forged one. One. One Will. That of Glorious Leader. On this anniversary of that decision, which we celebrate as Foundation Day, it is mete that we review the principles upon which our nation was truly founded and now rests secure.
There were men in the past who called themselves Fascists, and we honor them. They were the tip of the spear. They understood what all nature teaches us, that it is red in tooth and claw, that the goal is to be the strongest and to claim the available resources for oneself and one’s blood. They laughed at those who spoke of morals and charity, who would prop up the perverse and unnatural and diseased and allow it to flourish like weeds in a garden. They understood that ruthless culling is the natural order and that any deviation from the Will of Glorious Leader is unnatural, perverse, sickening, contrary to the interests of the tribe, and most of all, unmanly.
They understood that there is an order to the universe that operates from beasts and female children and women through to boys and the bulk of men to members of the Party to Glorious Leader himself. They knew that in any natural order, there will be one who rises to the top and that power rightly resides in this single, immaculately supreme individual, who IS the state. But even those, our fathers whom we honor, failed to understand this, what nature teaches: the fact that all is struggle for supremacy shows that He who created this order is Himself Absolute and Supreme, and He who rises to the top among men—our Glorious Leader—is so by virtue of being an extension of that Supreme Power, God, the singular power in the universe, whose will is the Good. By virtue of being His vicar or representative, Glorious Leader is possessed of The Supreme Will, and His Will is the Good and His might is the right, and He is driven not by concerns for others but by the desire to create in His own image, for Power is the Ultimate Aphrodisiac, and the manly, generative force. The most sublime state to which the individual can aspire is to submit himself to this Supreme Will. It is for the state to determine when or if an individual is ready to receive the Grace granted by the Supreme Will. All who are rejected are the Forever Unready, and the Forever Unready must be eliminated when encountered lest we succumb to pollution and weakness.
Let us prey.
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I think it is a fact that Traitor Trump has not read Project 2025.
But Trump is a deal maker as long as he benefits from that deal. When the leadership of the MAGA Christian Nationalist Evangelical cult came to him and offered him their support, for sure, Project 2025 was part of the deal. And for that, they said they’d anoint him as the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Second Coming – Wikipedia
Anyone paying attention to the lies flowing from Traitor Trump’s mouth knows he agreed because of this:
Trump “king of Israel”: Trump tweets quote calling him the “second coming of God” to Jews in Israel – CBS News
Still, the Traitor’s attention span is very short unless what he is hearing is praise for his greatness and genius. And when the cult leaders were making their very short elevator pitch (For Trump’s attention span, the building would have to be only two stories), they wouldn’t have time to teach Trump what all that meant because they have to make sure each sentence mention’s Trump’s name and how agreeing with him will add to his wealth, fame (infamy) and end never ending hunger for power, McDonalds and Diet Coke.
Donald Trump’s Shortest Attribute Isn’t His Fingers – POLITICO Magazine
Bolton says Trump’s ‘short attention span’ might keep US in NATO (thehill.com)
Intelligence Officials Reportedly Struggle To Brief Trump Because He’s Like A Giant Toddler | Vanity Fair
Trump’s lethal aversion to reading | The Week
So, what did those cult leaders do when they pitched the traitor the deal they wanted? They summarized it in ways to showcase how saying yes would benefit the giant orange toddler. Even 25 words might be too much. maybe in 10 words or less with a big chart the toddler could draw circles on with a Sharpie. Well, maybe only 8 words if we don’t count Trump used twice.
I’m struggling to come up with a summary that short that would explain what Project 2025 was all about after starting out with Trump’s name and repeating it half way through to keep his attention long enough to get to the period at the end.
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It’s hard to believe, but not only is there zilch coverage of Project 2025 in the NYT, today’s lone article about Trump is headlined:
“Following Trump’s Lead, Republicans Adopt Platform That Softens Stance on Abortion”
Not only is the NYT bending over backward to make Trump MORE moderate and thus more palatable — if Trump ever lied or spewed nonsense or incited an insurrection or was convicted of felony there is certainly no mention of it — but at the same time there are another 10 or 20 or 1000 negative articles with the same theme — Biden is unfit and he must NOT be the nominee and everyone in the entire world agrees that it would be dangerous to allow Biden to be the nominee.
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Take a close look at Trump’s Agenda 47, his plans for American Academy and intentions for schools-Agenda47: The American Academy | Agenda47 | Donald J. Trump (donaldjtrump.com) Agenda47: Protecting Students from the Radical Left and Marxist Maniacs Infecting Educational Institutions | Agenda47 | Donald J. Trump (donaldjtrump.com) President Trump’s Plan to Save American Education and Give Power Back to Parents | Agenda47 | Donald J. Trump (donaldjtrump.com)
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It would be a great idea for an über Rich BILLIONAIRE
to print CLIFFS Notes of “PROJECT2025” to be distributed to all US residents household via USPS or UPS or online.
COSTLY, not to a ZILLIONAIRE trying to Save our Country. Could be done in a hurry. 900+ pages is too much to read, but a condensed version could make a difference.
I don’t believe that MAGAS are OK with living under a DICTATORSHIP.
Just a thought.
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