MIAMI (AP) – donald trump distanced itself Friday from Project 2025, a massive overhaul proposed of the federal government drafted by longtime allies and former officials of his administration, days after the head of the think tank responsible for the program suggested there would be a second American Revolution.
“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump posted on his social media site. “I have no idea who is behind this. I disagree with some of the things they are saying and some of the things they are saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
The 922-page plan outlines a dramatic expansion of presidential power and a plan to fire up to 50,000 government employees to replace them with Trump supporters. President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has worked to draw more attention to his agenda, especially as Biden tries to keep fellow Democrats on board after his disastrous debate.
Trump has made his own plans remake the government if he wins a second term, including carrying out the largest deportation operation in US history and imposing tariffs on potentially all imports. His campaign has previously warned outside allies not to presume to speak on behalf of the former president and suggested that his transition efforts on hold have been futile.
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast on Tuesday that Republicans are “in the process of taking back this country.” Former US Representative Dave Brat of Virginia introduced the program to Bannon, who is serving a four-month prison sentence.
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it,” Roberts said.
Those comments were widely shared online and criticized by the Biden campaign, which issued a statement saying Trump and his allies were “dreaming of a violent revolution to destroy the very idea of America.”
Some of the people involved in Project 2025 are former senior administration officials. The project director is Paul Dans, who served as chief of staff for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in the Trump administration. Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt appeared in one of Project 2025’s videos.
John McEntee, former director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel in the Trump administration, is a senior adviser. McEntee told conservative news site The Daily Wire earlier this year that the Project 2025 team would integrate much of its work with the campaign after the summer, when Trump would announce his transition team.
Trump’s comments on Project 2025 come ahead of Republican Party meetings next week to begin drafting their party platform.
Project 2025 has been preparing its own 180-day agenda for the next administration, which it plans to share privately rather than as part of its public book of priorities for a Republican president. A key Trump ally, Russ Vought, who contributed to Project 2025 and is drafting this final pillar, is also on the Republican National Committee’s platform writing committee.
A spokesperson for the plan said Project 2025 is not tied to a specific candidate or campaign.
“We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating for policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president,” a statement said. “But ultimately it’s up to this president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement.”
The Democratic National Committee said the plan and Trump’s campaign are part of the same “MAGA operation.” A Biden campaign spokesperson said Project 2025 team members also lead the Republican policy platform.
“Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump’s second term that should scare the American people,” said Ammar Moussa.
On Thursday, as the country celebrated Independence Day and Biden prepared for his television interview following his shaky debate performance, the president’s campaign posted to X a scene from the dystopian television drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” showing a group of women in the program’s red dresses. and white hats in formation near a reflecting pool with a cross at the end where the Washington Monument should be. The story revolves around women who are stripped of their identities and forced to bear children for other couples in a totalitarian regime.
“Fourth of July under Trump’s Project 2025,” the post read.
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Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
