On Politics

Mon Jul 29 2024

Sudiksha Kochi | Congress, Campaigns and Democracy Reporter

@KochiSudiksha

Hey OnPolitics readers! For months commentators and academics have been sounding the alarm on Project 2025, a sprawling 900-plus page manifesto that seeks to create a blueprint for the next Trump presidency.

The effort, some argue, is a deeply racist endeavor that's actually aimed at dismantling many protections and aid programs for Americans of color, USA TODAY's Will Carless reported. And a closer look at the named contributors to Project 2025 adds to the concern: A USA TODAY analysis found at least five of them have a history of racist writing or statements, or white supremacist activity.

Who are some contributors named in the project? They include Richard Hanania, who for years wrote racist essays for white supremacist publications under a pseudonym until he was unmasked by a Huffington Post investigation last year. Failed Virginia GOP Senate candidate Corey Stewart, another named contributor, has long associated with white supremacists and calls himself a protector of America's Confederate history tasked with "taking back our heritage."

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What are some measures included in Project 2025? The plan calls for the abolition of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. It would also replace the Department of Homeland Security with a new, more powerful border and immigration enforcement agency to choke immigration.

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Trump's connections to Project 2025: At a campaign rally in Michigan earlier this month, former President Donald Trump told the crowd that Project 2025 is "seriously extreme." In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump had previously distanced himself from the effort. But reports show at least 31 of the 38 official authors and editors of Project 2025 have a connection to the former president and GOP presidential candidate.