Project 2025 Alums Finding a Home in Trump’s Administration
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump distanced himself from Project 2025, a controversial conservative agenda. However, he is now turning to its authors and contributors to fill key roles in his White House and administration.
Recent appointments include Brendan Carr as the head of the FCC, former Rep. Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada, and John Ratcliffe as director of the CIA. Even Tom Homan, appointed as “border czar,” was a contributor to Project 2025. Russ Vought, former director of the Office of Management and Budget, is also being considered for a return to his role in the administration.
Despite Trump’s previous criticism of Project 2025, some believe that the administration no longer views it as toxic. Michael Cannon, director of health policy at the CATO Institute, noted that it’s not surprising to see contributors from Project 2025 being picked up by the administration.
These Project 2025 alums are expected to play key roles in areas such as the economy, immigration, and dismantling the administrative state. The administration is making efforts to make Project 2025 look reasonable, especially with recent controversial Cabinet nominations.
However, there are limits to the influence of Project 2025. Roger Severino, a prominent anti-abortion figure and lead author of the health care chapter in Project 2025, was rejected by Trump’s team for a top job at HHS due to his participation in the project. The administration is distancing itself from the strict federal curbs on abortion that Severino advocated for in Project 2025.
Despite Trump’s previous disavowal of Project 2025, some alums like Russ Vought have continued to influence the administration behind the scenes. Vought, who played a key role in advising the Trump campaign on trade and economic policy, has been informally working alongside Trump loyalists.
Officials at The Heritage Foundation, which spearheaded Project 2025, anticipated an improvement in their standing following the election. Project 2025 contributors were quickly nominated to join Trump’s new administration, signaling a shift in perception towards the project.
While Democrats had linked Trump to Project 2025 during the presidential campaign, the recent appointments of Project 2025 alums in the administration have been a deflating development for them. Trump’s initial distancing from the project has now been contradicted by his decision to bring on some of its authors for key roles.
Overall, the integration of Project 2025 alums into Trump’s administration highlights the complex nature of political alliances and the evolving dynamics within the conservative agenda.
