Project 2025 is a plan to reshape the federal government if a Republican wins the presidential election this fall. An 887-page book titled “Mandate for Leadership: A Conservative Promise” describes your goals (archived here).
Republican presidential candidate donald trump tried distance oneself of the initiative (archived here), although many of its allies and former members of the administration has ties to this.
Democrats to have criticized the agenda, which includes proposals to abolish the U.S. Department of Education and eliminate federal funding for health care providers who administer abortions.
Vice President Kamala Harris said during a July 23, 2024 campaign rally — hers first since receiving endorsement from President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination – that Trump intends to cut Social Security and other welfare programs (archived here).
But not Trump nor Project 2025 defenders to completely eliminate Social Security benefits and disability benefits.
Trump says on his campaign website that if re-elected in November, he would “fight for and protect Social Security and Medicare without cuts, including no changes to the retirement age” (archived here).
Project 2025, in turn, only mentions Social Security in relation to other proposals, such as changing the tax code to benefit those who earn a lot.
When asked about the claim, a Project 2025 spokesperson pointed the AFP to its websitewhich says: “The Project 2025 Leadership Mandate does not advocate cutting Social Security” (archived here).
The Heritage Foundation’s proposal
While Project 2025 does not mention eliminating Social Security, the Heritage Foundation itself pushed for reforms.
Social Security, financed by a payroll tax, covers basic living expenses for many older Americans. Although some benefits Are available At age 62, full retirement age is 66 or 67, depending on date of birth birthday (filed here It is here).
Because budget deficitso Social Security The Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund will only be able to pay 100% of benefits until 2033. Unless Congress actsthe program will then disburse 79 percent of benefits, according to the department’s 2024 annual report (on file here)
O Heritage Foundation recommends a series of spending cuts for fiscal years 2023-2032 (archived here), Including increase in retirement age for 69 or 70 for reflect increased life expectancy and switching to a fixed benefit instead of tying it to lifetime salary (archived here).
Timothy McBridea health policy analyst and professor at Washington University in St Louis (archived here), told AFP that the Heritage Foundation’s plan to reform Social Security would result in “a pretty radical change to change.”
He said on July 25 that while updating the eligibility age could save approximately $81 billion over 10 years, older people with health problems that affect their ability to work could to suffer.
By switching to a flat benefit, which would cut nearly $700 billion in 10 yearsMcBride said the average American would see a “pretty significant benefit cut from what they get under the current system.”
He said: “That would get most people on a benefit that would replace income up to the poverty level, but not much higher.”
AFP contacted the Heritage Foundation for comment but did not receive a response.
More AFP reporting on disinformation about Project 2025 is available here It is here.
