Trump’s Policies Show Overlap With Project 2025 Despite Previous Denials
President Donald Trump has maintained a stance of disassociation from Project 2025 throughout his campaign, yet his second administration reflects significant similarities with this initiative. Discussions about Project 2025 intensified before the November election, driven by its proposal to drastically reduce and reshape the federal government.
During a debate with former Vice President Kamala Harris in September, Trump stated he had “nothing to do with Project 2025.” On his Truth Social platform, he reiterated this sentiment, labeling parts of the initiative as “ridiculous and abysmal.”
Despite these assertions, an analysis by the Hearst Television Data Team indicates that roughly 45% of Trump’s executive orders align closely with Project 2025’s policy recommendations within the first 100 days of his second term.
Project 2025, developed by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, provides policy guidance for future conservative administrations. Officially launched in 2022, its main document, the 922-page “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise,” was published the following year.
The Hearst Television Data Team examined Trump’s executive orders to identify overlaps with Project 2025’s policy suggestions. Executive orders concerning tariffs were excluded due to the initiative’s conflicting recommendations on this topic.
Out of 126 non-tariff executive orders, 56 closely reflect the policy proposals advocated by Project 2025.
A significant area of overlap includes government reform, accountability, and deregulation. Although Project 2025 does not specifically propose a Department of Government Efficiency, it supports many changes in government workforce and reduction policies that Trump’s orders implement.
In the initial 100 days, Trump reinstated Schedule F to facilitate the dismissal of federal employees, removed DEI initiatives from the federal government, reestablished service members with backpay who were discharged under President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and mandated cost-cutting measures for agencies. These actions align with Project 2025’s guidance.
Trump also issued an Executive Order on March 30 to initiate the dismantling of the Department of Education, echoing a high-profile policy from Project 2025.
Other areas of alignment between Trump and Project 2025 include policies aimed at increasing domestic energy production, bolstering immigration enforcement, and implementing deregulations.
Divergences on Key Issues
Despite these alignments, differences remain. Project 2025 advocates for a complete TikTok ban due to national security concerns, a step Trump has not finalized, postponing action in the U.S.
There is also a divergence on tariffs. Project 2025 offers conflicting views, with Kent Lassman critiquing tariffs in favor of free trade, while Peter Navarro, whom Trump appointed as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, supports tariffs to boost domestic manufacturing.
While the extent of Project 2025’s influence on Trump’s policies remains uncertain, it is clear that the initiative, crafted by a think tank with a focus on shaping political policy, has garnered significant media attention and involvement from Trump’s administration.
Notably, several contributors to Project 2025 have taken roles in Trump’s administration. Budget Director Russ Vought, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, and Peter Navarro were authors of the project. Additionally, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Border Czar Tom Homan, and Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins contributed to the initiative.
