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- Franco Ordoñez reports on Trump's disavowal of Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's blueprint for dramatic governmental restructuring.
- What are Project 2025's potential implications on U.S. governance and public policy?
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- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits focused on education in your area.
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The Heritage Foundation and the Trump campaign are attempting to soothe concerns over the think tank's sweeping Project 2025 through Trump's disavowal of Project 2025.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
An influential conservative think tank fielding criticism from Democrats is not surprising. But in recent weeks, former President Donald Trump has made a point to criticize the Heritage Foundation for its sweeping plan called Project 2025. What's at play here? NPR's Franco Ordoñez went to find out.
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UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL ARTIST: (Singing) And the rockets' red glare. The bombs bursting in air...
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ, BYLINE: In a glitzy ballroom in downtown Milwaukee, some of the top conservative voices took the stage at the Heritage Foundation's Policy Fest to tackle what they see as the dire stakes of this election...
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Chaos reigns at home and abroad. Elites in Washington have forgotten that they are supposed to serve us, the American people.
ORDOÑEZ: ...And how they planned to fix things.
ANDY OLIVASTRO: I grew up under Ronald Reagan, and he used to say that the nine scariest words in the English language were, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help. But I have another sentence for you. These might be the nine best words in the English language. I'm from Project 2025, and I'm here to win (laughter).
ORDOÑEZ: That's Andy Olivastro of Heritage. But Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's plan to overhaul the American government, has been at the center of controversy. Former President Donald Trump has expressed his disavowal of Project 2025, while the Biden campaign and Democrats argue it's an example of Trump's authoritarian bent. Those tensions were on display at the Republican National Convention.
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CHRIS LACIVITA: They're a pain in the a**.
ORDOÑEZ: Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, was asked about Project 2025 at several events. He pushed back every time, arguing it was Trump and the campaign in charge. Here he is at one, hosted by CNN and Politico.
Read the full article about Trump's Project 2025 disavowal by Franco Ordoñez at NPR.