In the wake of Donald Trump's return to the White House, Project 2025—a sprawling 900-page conservative playbook crafted by the Heritage Foundation—has leaped from campaign footnote to active policy engine. Launched in 2023 as a roadmap for reshaping federal government, it outlines sweeping changes: dismantling agencies like the Department of Education, curbing abortion access, and bolstering executive power. Indeed, its architects envisioned it as a blueprint for any Republican victor, but ties to Trump run deep, with over half its contributors hailing from his first administration.
During the 2024 race, Trump vehemently distanced himself, calling parts "abysmal" and insisting he knew little of it. Yet, fast-forward to now, and the narrative flips. By October 2025, he's openly meeting with key figures like Russ Vought, a Project 2025 co-author now heading the Office of Management and Budget, to exploit a government shutdown for aggressive reforms. Vought's role? Pushing to "institutionalize Trumpism," as Heritage's Kevin Roberts puts it.
Trackers paint a stark picture of progress. One independent monitor logs 115 out of 317 goals already aligned with Trump's early actions—nearly two-thirds of his executive orders echo the plan, from environmental rollbacks to labor curbs. In the first six months, initiatives targeting climate policies and public health safeguards advanced rapidly, often under the radar. Moreover, Trump's cabinet brims with Project 2025 alumni: education picks eyeing abolition, health nominees challenging reproductive rights. However, critics highlight the pace as alarming, with states feeling the ripple effects on workers and communities.
Still, not everything's seamless. Legal challenges mount, and public pushback grows against what some call an authoritarian tilt. As these policies embed deeper, one wonders how far this blueprint will redefine American governance in the years ahead.