The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has come under fire from Democrats, who claim it outlines a dystopian future under former President Donald Trump. Initially known only among policy experts, the project gained widespread attention following the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Trump. Since then, it has been a key point in campaign speeches by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a recent campaign event in Houston, Harris denounced Project 2025, describing it as a return to a “dark past.” She highlighted the project’s 900-page document, suggesting it includes plans to cut Medicare, Social Security, and end student loan forgiveness for public servants.
Project 2025 is not a new initiative; the Heritage Foundation has been producing policy recommendations for Republican presidents since Ronald Reagan. The project includes a range of initiatives, from education to preparing personnel for presidential transitions. The focus of the controversy is a book titled “Mandate for Leadership – the Conservative Promise.”
Steven Groves, one of the book’s co-editors, spoke to the Washington Examiner about the backlash. He encouraged the public to read the document, which is available online. “The book is available online. Every word of it can be downloaded for free,” Groves said. He argued that many criticisms from Democrats are unfounded and based on misrepresentations.
“Their interest is not in taking on a conservative think tank project,” Groves explained. “Their interest is in lying about that project and then attributing extreme policies to their political opponent, in this case, President Trump.”
Groves noted that the book was published in April 2023, long before any presidential candidates declared their intentions. Media coverage was mostly neutral until the project became a campaign issue post-debate.
“It wasn’t until it was crystal clear to everyone that Biden was going to lose and lose big that the Left, Biden, and Kamala decided to make a target out of the project,” Groves said. “President Trump doesn’t have anything to do with this project.”
Groves also addressed a viral graphic shared by actor Mark Hamill, which listed an alleged extreme agenda of Project 2025. According to Groves, only five of the 31 listed items were true or partially true.
“It’s easy enough to go to our book that’s online,” Groves said. “Do Control F… if you want to put in Control F: abortion; Control F: marriage, you can find everything that we’ve written about those topics.”
Despite denials from Project 2025, Democrats maintain that the project includes radical proposals and is linked to Trump. DNC National Press Secretary Emilia Rowland accused Trump of trying to distance himself from the project while hiding his true agenda.
Project 2025 features contributions from a diverse range of authors, with about two-thirds not affiliated with the Heritage Foundation. Groves mentioned that within many chapters, there are both majority and minority views, reflecting the diversity of opinions within the conservative movement.
“Within many of the chapters you’ll see, let’s call them minority views,” Groves explained. “There were some issues that really kind of split where conservatives are.”
Groves urged Republicans to disregard Democratic criticisms and stay united. “Don’t listen to the Left’s lies about Project 2025, don’t listen to Biden and Harris’s lies about Project 2025. If the Left and Harris are lying about it, then you have to realize that we’re over the target.”
As the 2024 election approaches, Project 2025 is expected to remain a contentious issue, with both parties using it to galvanize their supporters.
