The Trump campaign’s aggressive response to Project 2025 in the midst of ongoing Democratic attacks has caused frustration among conservatives both within and outside the campaign, who fear that distancing from the initiative might alienate his core supporters.
Initially, former President Trump’s separation from the Heritage Foundation-led project, which sometimes diverges from his own policy positions and aims to facilitate a conservative White House transition, was relatively subtle.
However, the campaign’s overt criticism, including a recent statement expressing enthusiasm about Project 2025’s potential failure, has sparked concerns about damaging Trump’s relationships within the conservative community and unintentionally boosting Democratic attacks.
Public backlash has increased despite Former President Trump’s campaign saying Project 2025 isn’t its official transition work
“There’s a growing debate among Trump’s supporters about whether his disavowal of Project 2025 suggests he hasn’t learned from past mistakes,” a former Trump administration official remarked. “The critics of his earlier personnel decisions, who follow Steve Bannon, might feel particularly disheartened.”
Project 2025 is recognized for its extensive “Mandate for Leadership” policy book, continuing a tradition of outlining potential administration strategies, but also includes a comprehensive personnel-vetting process designed to prevent a repeat of the chaotic 2017 Trump transition.
Despite the Trump campaign’s statements that Project 2025 does not represent its official transition work, public backlash has intensified. Senior advisers like Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita have expressed hostility, with LaCivita referring to the project as a “pain in the a–.” Last week, as Project 2025 Director Paul Dans stepped down, the campaign’s tone became increasingly aggressive.
Republican National Committee co-Chair Lara Trump criticized Project 2025 in a Washington Times op-ed, calling it an “absurd vision” with questionable practicality. This criticism has been seen by some as exacerbating the situation, potentially increasing Democratic efforts to link Project 2025 to Trump.
“The controversy is disheartening,” a contributor to the “Mandate for Leadership” book said, highlighting that their goal was to unite the movement. Conservative commentators have also voiced concerns about Trump’s approach, with some suggesting that the campaign’s rejection of Project 2025’s ideas reflects a misguided strategy.
Despite differences, such as on abortion policies, the Trump-approved 2024 GOP platform shares many priorities with Project 2025’s recommendations. The core of the dispute appears to be more about control over personnel decisions than about policy itself.
There remains the possibility that Trump might still consider Project 2025’s recommendations if he wins. His campaign has not yet named a transition team leader, a delay compared to the 2016 timeline. “We’ll see how this uncovers. We’re still working hard to support Trump,” a Project 2025 contributor said.
The Trump campaign maintains that its focus is on securing victory and preparing for a January 2025 transition, with senior adviser Danielle Alvarez reiterating the campaign’s commitment to Trump’s promises and dismissing Democratic criticisms as baseless.
