The director of Project 2025, the controversial conservative policy agenda produced by the Heritage Foundation and other right-wing groups in preparation for the next Republican administration, is stepping down amid pressure from Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
The project has turned into a headache for Trump, drawing Democratic attacks and public scrutiny of conservative plans to reshape the federal government and various areas of American life. Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, has attacked the plan often, warning that it “would return America to a very dark past.”
Trump has repeatedly tried to distance himself from the 922-page manifesto in recent months, labeling some unspecified portions of it “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.” But many of the project’s contributors had served in his administration and were expected to again play roles in government if he wins a second term in office. And Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, has praised the Heritage Foundation’s work.
“While some participants in the project started avoiding interviews and public appearances, Trump advisers grew furious that Heritage leaders continued promoting the project and feeding critical news coverage,” The Washington Post notes.
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Tuesday that Paul Dans, the leader of the project who had been chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management under Trump, would be moving on. The Project 2025 personnel database for potential political staffing decisions will reportedly continue to operate.
“Under Paul Dans’ leadership, Project 2025 has completed exactly what it set out to do: bringing together over 110 leading conservative organizations to create a unified conservative vision, motivated to devolve power from the unelected administrative state, and returning it to the people. This tool was built for any future administration to use,” Roberts said in a statement. “When we began Project 2025 in April 2022, we set a timeline for the project to conclude its policy drafting after the two party conventions this year, and we are sticking to that timeline. Paul, who built the project from scratch and bravely led this endeavor over the past two years, will be departing the team and moving up to the front where the fight remains.”
In a message to staff Monday, Dans reportedly signed off by quoting Trump’s words to the crowd after the failed attempt on his life this month: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
The Daily Beast reports that Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita “put the screws” to Dans to force him out. LaCivita and the Trump campaign celebrated what it called Project 2025’s “demise.”
"President Trump’s campaign has been very clear for over a year that Project 2025 had nothing to do with the campaign, did not speak for the campaign, and should not be associated with the campaign or the President in any way,” LaCivita and fellow Trump campaign manager Susie Wiles said in a statement. “Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign— it will not end well for you.”
The Harris campaign said it would continue to warn about the project and would continue to tie it to Trump. “Hiding the 920-page blueprint from the American people doesn’t make it less real — in fact, it should make voters more concerned about what else Trump and his allies are hiding,” Harris for President Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. “Project 2025 is on the ballot because Donald Trump is on the ballot. This is his agenda, written by his allies, for Donald Trump to inflict on our country.”
