Trump’s Executive Orders Align with Project 2025
On the first day of his return to office, President Donald Trump enacted a series of executive orders addressing various issues, including the environment and immigration. Notably, nearly two-thirds of these orders align closely with proposals from Project 2025, a policy framework that Trump criticized during his 2024 campaign.
According to The Lever, of the 26 executive orders Trump signed, 16 were at least partially inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s extensive 900-page Project 2025 document, which aims to restructure the federal government. This includes decisions to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, rescind electric vehicle mandates set by the Biden administration, and expand oil and gas drilling in Alaska. These initiatives were initially featured in Project 2025 months before being signed into orders.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Democrats highlighted Trump’s connection to Project 2025, pointing out that over 140 former Trump administration officials contributed to the policy guide, which was published in April 2023. Additionally, Trump’s running mate, former Ohio Senator JD Vance, was noted for promoting the project’s leadership.
Despite these links, Trump distanced himself from Project 2025, asserting in an interview that he had “nothing to do with” the project and described some of their proposals as “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.”
The new executive orders appear to draw heavily from Project 2025’s recommendations, undoing many of the policies established by former President Joe Biden related to climate change and diversity in the federal government. Additionally, some orders bring back initiatives from Trump’s first term.
