The leader of the Heritage Foundation-led Project 2025, Paul Dans, is stepping down as the Donald Trump campaign deals with ramped-up attacks from Democrats.
The conservative think tank’s president, Kevin Roberts, released a statement on July 30, saying Dans will transition to the “front where the fight remains.”
“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,” Roberts said.
“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. We are extremely grateful for his and everyone’s work on Project 2025 and dedication to saving America.”
The former chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management in the Trump administration is leaving as Democrats have made Project 2025 the sole focus of defeat for their campaign. The controversial 900-page project outlines how to create a conservative administration and a host of individuals who could staff it.
Roberts highlighted how far things have gotten with Project 2025 under Dan’s leadership and boasted about how it has unified dozens of conservative organizations. “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,” he said, according to CBS News.“This tool was built for any future administration to use.”
Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, along with other Democrats, have openly condemned the project, stating it will only take the country backward. “Donald Trump intends to take our country backward,” Harris said during a rally in Massachusetts. “Just look at his Project 2025 agenda. By the way, can you believe they put that thing in writing? Nine hundred pages of it.”
However, Trump and his campaign have
attempted to distance themselves from the heavy document. Senior adviser Chris LaCivita said during an event at the Republican National Convention that Project 2025 was “a pain in the a‑‑.”The GOP presidential nominee has called some of the project’s plans “abysmal,” but several experts who contributed to it have served in his administration, including Russ Vought, former leader of the Office of Management and Budget; former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller; and Ben Carson, who once led the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Shortly after Dan’s departure was announced, Harris’ campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, warned of the project’s policy proposals for abortion, the economy, healthcare, and the environment as an advisory board member said the initiative’s work will likely continue.
“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,” Chavez Rodriguez said.
“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.”