Introduction
In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump, who had previously distanced himself from the controversial Project 2025, is now embracing it in his new administration. He’s recently appointed nearly half a dozen Project 2025 authors and contributors to key positions, including Brendan Carr to lead the FCC, former Rep. Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada, and John Ratcliffe as director of the CIA. Tom Homan, one of Trump’s first selections as “border czar,” too, was a Project 2025 contributor. This move comes despite Trump once calling the group’s work product “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” and his transition team leader, Howard Lutnick, branding the group as “nuclear.”
Key Point 1: Influence of Project 2025 Alumni
One cannot ignore the fact that Project 2025 alumni are set to play significant roles in Trump’s administration, particularly concerning the economy, immigration, and dismantling the administrative state. Russ Vought, Trump’s former director of the Office of Management and Budget, is being considered for a return to the role, indicating the influence of Project 2025 alumni in the administration. Despite the initial backlash and criticism from the Trump campaign, The Heritage Foundation, responsible for Project 2025, anticipated a vast improvement in their standing post-election.
Key Point 2: Controversial Cabinet Nominees
The recent controversial cabinet nominees only add to the intrigue. Roger Severino, an anti-abortion stalwart who held a prominent role at HHS and was the lead author of Project 2025’s health care chapter, was rejected for the No.2 job at the agency over his participation in the project. This is a clear attempt by Trump’s team to distance itself from the strict federal curbs on abortion that Severino advocated in Project 2025, keeping Trump’s election promise to leave the issue to the states.
Key Point 3: Democratic Response
While Trump’s appointments come as no surprise, they have deflated the Democrats, who during the presidential campaign, went all in on linking Trump to the controversial blueprint. Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a possible Democratic National Committee chair candidate, voiced her disappointment stating, “You can’t look at something that had 140 members of the previous Trump administration who had a hand in writing this, and believe for a second that he had no idea what this was.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recent appointments and the influence of Project 2025 authors and contributors in Trump’s administration have raised several eyebrows. Despite his earlier criticism of the project, Trump seems to be embracing it now. While this does not mean he will adopt all of its recommendations, it does indicate that the controversial hard-line conservative agenda of Project 2025 might influence his administration’s policies. How this will play out in the coming years remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the political landscape is set for some interesting developments.
