MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump on Friday distanced himself from Project 2025, a sweeping federal government reform plan drafted by longtime allies and former officials of his administration, just days after the top of the think tank liable for this system hinted at a second American Revolution.
“I don't know anything about Project 2025,” Trump posted on his social media site. “I have no idea who is behind it. I don't agree with some of what they're saying and some of what they're saying is absolutely ridiculous and pathetic. Whatever they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
The 922-page plan calls for a drastic expansion of presidential power and calls for the firing of as much as 50,000 government employees by Trump supporters. President Joe Biden's re-election campaign has tried to attract more attention to the agenda, especially as Biden tries to maintain his fellow Democrats on board after his disastrous debate.
Trump has laid out his own plans for reshaping the federal government should he win a second term, including conducting the most important deportation operation in U.S. history and imposing tariffs on potentially all imports. His campaign has previously warned foreign allies to not presume to talk for the previous president, suggesting that their efforts to advertise an impending transition of power are unhelpful.
Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, said Tuesday on Steve Bannon's “War Room” podcast that Republicans are “in the process of taking back the country.” Former U.S. Rep. Dave Brat of Virginia hosted the show for Bannon, who’s serving a four-month prison sentence.
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it,” Roberts said.
These comments were widely shared online and were sharply criticized by the Biden campaign team, which said in an announcement that Trump and his allies “dreamed of a violent revolution to destroy the idea of America.”
Some of the people involved in Project 2025 are former high-ranking government officials. The project's director is Paul Dans, who was chief of staff within the U.S. Office of Personnel under Trump. Trump's campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt was seen in considered one of Project 2025's videos.
John McEntee, former director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel within the Trump administration, is a senior adviser. McEntee told conservative news site The Daily Wire earlier this 12 months that the Project 2025 team will integrate much of its work into the campaign after the summer, when Trump will announce his transition team.
Trump's comments on Project 2025 come ahead of the Republican Party's conventions next week, when it would begin drafting its platform.
Project 2025 is preparing its own 180-day agenda for the subsequent administration, which it plans to release privately slightly than as a part of its publicly available book of priorities for a Republican president. Russ Vought, a key Trump ally who helped draft Project 2025 and is drafting this final pillar, can also be a member of the Republican National Committee's program committee.
A spokesman for the plan said Project 2025 isn’t tied to any particular candidate or campaign.
“We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups that advocate policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president,” they said in an announcement. “But ultimately it is up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations are implemented.”
The Democratic National Committee said the plan and the Trump campaign were a part of the identical “MAGA operation.” A Biden campaign spokesman said Project 2025 staff also direct the Republicans' policy platform.
“Project 2025 is an extreme political and personnel guide for Trump’s second term that is intended to scare the hell out of the American people,” said Ammar Moussa.
“Fourth of July as part of Trump’s Project 2025,” the post said.
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
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