Originally at https://time.com
Project 2025 is now a major talking point for politicians and voters in the upcoming 2024 presidential election between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Led by the right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 is a collection of conservative policies and a blueprint for the next conservative President. Though the $22 million effort does not say it is specifically intended for Trump, Project 2025 celebrates various orders brought in during Trump’s time in the White House.
The project’s nearly 1,000-page handbook details a conservative agenda, outlining an expansion of presidential power and plans to fire as many as 50,000 government workers to be replaced with conservatives. It attempts to build on a “Mandate for Leadership,” which Ronald Reagan’s incoming administration utilized when it was published in January 1981.
While Trump has attempted to distance himself from the project, Biden’s reelection campaign has worked to draw more attention to what they view as an “extreme” agenda, particularly as Biden tries to keep fellow Democrats on board after his much-criticized debate performance.
Here is what the two prospective candidates for the 2024 presidential election have said about the controversial Project 2025.
What Donald Trump and his campaign have said about Project 2025
Trump denies his involvement with Project 2025 in a social media post
On July 5, Trump disavowed his involvement in Project 2025 in a post on Truth Social, his own social media platform owned by the Trump Media & Technology Group. He wished those involved the “best of luck,” but reiterated that he knows “nothing” about it.
“I have no idea who is behind it,” the former President said. He continued: “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.”
What President Joe Biden and his campaign have said about Project 2025
Biden releases statement assailing Trump’s claim about Project 2025
On July 6, Biden’s campaign released a statement by the President, assailing Trump’s claim that he’s not involved with Project 2025
“He’s trying to hide his connections to his allies’ extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Biden said of Trump. “The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American.”
He went on to say that the Supreme Court—three out of nine of whom were appointed by Trump—have given him a “blank check” to do what he wants, and warned his supporters that if he wins again he will utilize the courts to implement Project 2025.
“We can always rely on Donald Trump for one thing: to lie to the American people in pursuit of power. We saw that on the debate stage when he set a record, ” Biden said. “Together, we must defeat him.”
Earlier that day, Biden directly responded in a post on X (formerly Twitter) to Trump’s disavowal of his involvement with Project 2025, stating plainly that “Trump is lying about Project 2025. It’s his people and his plan. But it’s your freedom and future at risk.”
Biden-Harris campaign posts several Project 2025 disclaimers and memes on social media
Biden’s campaign has posted multiple lists and videos about Project 2025, with captions like “This is Trump’s Plan if He Wins.”
On July 8, the Biden-Harris campaign posted a picture of a banner on X, with the words “Heritage welcomes you to the RNC Convention in MKE!” The campaign captioned the photo, “The Heritage Foundation, the organization behind Project 2025, is welcoming attendees to Trump’s Republican convention in Milwaukee.”
They’ve also followed news coverage of Project 2025, posting broadcast journalists who have spoken about the agenda, including Chris Hayes and John Oliver.
The campaign has continued to post and repost memes about Trump and Project 2025.
In one, shared on July 4, the campaign posted a shot from dystopian TV drama The Handmaid’s Tale depicting a group of women in the show’s iconic red dresses and white bonnets standing in formation by Washington D.C.’s reflecting pool with a cross at the far end where the Washington Monument lies.
“Fourth of July under Trump’s Project 2025,” the post said.
In another, the campaign responded to Trump’s Truth Social post with an edited version, switching “Project 2025” to “Order 66” and pretending that the post came from Emperor Palpatine, a major villain in the Star Wars franchise.
Biden releases new informational website on Project 2025
On July 8, Biden posted the link on X to a website his campaign put together, breaking down the Project 2025 plan for voters.
“Project 2025 is the plan by Donald Trump’s MAGA Republican allies to give Trump more power over your daily life, gut democratic checks and balances, and consolidate power in the Oval Office if he wins,” a statement on the website reads. “Fortunately, we have access to it in time to warn America and stop their power grab.”
Biden releases video telling voters to look up Project 2025
On the morning of July 10, a video was posted to Biden’s official X account, saying, “Project 2025 will destroy America. Look it up.”
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