"Project 2025": A radical plan for Trump

The manual from the right-wing conservative think tank Heritage Foundation is better known as "Project 2025". It is a radical policy blueprint for the next Republican president. Trump is officially trying to distance himself from the document. However, the foundation and the Republican Party are closely linked - it is one of the sponsors of the party convention in Milwaukee.

Detailed instructions

"It's not enough for conservatives to win elections," reads the project's pitch. "If we are to free the country from the grip of the radical left, we need both a program for government and the right people ready to implement that program on day one of the next Conservative government." The "Project 2025" has been joined by numerous Conservative organizations. It offers a blueprint for shaping the first 180 days after taking office.

It is not Trump's plan, but it is a plan made for Trump. The Heritage Foundation has published such strategy papers in the past - even before Trump's election victory in 2016. However, after the Republican's inauguration, chaos reigned in the White House. If Trump wins the presidential election in November, things should be different this time, according to the think tank.

The contents

The plan lists four main goals:

1. "Restoring the family as the centerpiece of American life and protecting our children"

The "Project 2025" represents arch-conservative socio-political positions. The authors oppose abortion, call for a ban on pornography and advocate measures to promote "marriage, work, motherhood, fatherhood and nuclear families".

2 "Abolish the administrative state and return self-government to the American people"

The authors of "Project 2025" want to largely replace civil servants in federal agencies and ministries with political employees. This is based on the deep-state myth, according to which government officials in Washington actually rule in secret and allegedly worked against Trump during his time in office. The president's power is to be expanded and Congress weakened. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which also includes the weather service and the US hurricane center, is to be dissolved because it is "one of the key drivers of the climate change alarm industry". Its functions should be transferred to other authorities or privatized.

3. "Defending our nation's sovereignty, borders and wealth against global threats"

The protection of the US border is named as a priority in the manifesto. On the southern border with Mexico, Trump's border wall is to be completed and immigration laws are to be tightened. The detention and deportation of illegal immigrants is of "critical importance if we are to regain control of the border".

4 "Safeguarding our God-given individual rights to live freely"

The authors are in favor of so-called religious freedom. Contrary to how it may sound, this actually means that Christian values should be promoted with public funds and take a central position in everyday life. The Ministry of Healthcare and Social Services should advocate "a biblically based, sociologically underpinned definition of marriage and family".

Trump distances himself

US President Joe Biden's Democrats are urgently warning against "Project 2025" during the election campaign. The blueprint would give Trump more power over people's daily lives and abolish democratic control mechanisms. This has put the Republican on the spot. He knew nothing about "Project 2025", the 78-year-old wrote on his online mouthpiece Truth Social. "I disagree with some of the statements, and some of the statements are absolutely ridiculous and disastrous."

Trump's attempt to distance himself from the manifesto is not really credible. Allies of the Republican and former employees of his administration collaborated on it. Trump's candidate for vice president, J.D. Vance, has close ties to the Heritage Foundation. The senator also recently tried to keep his distance. "I guarantee you there are things Trump likes and dislikes about this 900-page document."

There are also major overlaps between the manifesto and Trump's policy promises and the Republican party platform. At the party convention in Milwaukee, where Trump was officially chosen as the Republican presidential candidate, the party platform was also adopted.

It lists 20 "promises" in capital letters - such as: "Carry out the largest deportation operation in American history" or "End the mandate for electric vehicles and repeal expensive and burdensome regulations".

Abortion as a bone of contention

It is striking that the issue of abortion does not appear in the promises and is only mentioned once in the program. "We will reject late-term abortions," it says. There is no mention of strict abortion bans - which has angered religious supporters. By appointing three right-wing conservative judges to the US Supreme Court, Trump has made it possible to overturn the nationwide right to abortion.

Trump initially celebrated this as a success. However, a majority of people in the USA support the right to abortion. This is why Trump is now squirming on the issue and avoiding clear statements.

This can also be seen in the party platform and the attempt to distance himself from the blueprint. Trump does not want to scare off more moderate conservatives with these radical positions. However, "Project 2025" should provide Trump with inspiration for his policies after a possible re-election - at the very least.