The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has launched a new billboard campaign linking former President Donald Trump to Project 2025, an initiative from the conservative Heritage Foundation that proposes significant expansions of presidential power. This move comes as the 2024 presidential race heats up, with Democrats aiming to portray Trump as a threat to American democracy.
Project 2025 has become a focal point in political discussions, with Democrats asserting that Trump's potential re-election could bring about radical changes to the nation's foundational principles. The DNC's billboards, prominently displayed in ten key metropolitan areas across seven battleground states, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, are part of their first paid media campaign addressing the project. The billboards, in both English and Spanish, aim to alert voters to the potential implications of Project 2025.
"Donald Trump and his Republican buddies are trying their best to hide their dark and sinister plans because they know that giving Trump limitless power, banning abortion with or without Congress, and gutting Social Security and Medicare don't go over well with voters," stated DNC Communications Director Rosemary Boeglin. "They know that when Americans hear about Project 2025, they do not support it."
Project 2025, developed by the Heritage Foundation, outlines a vision for a significantly more powerful executive branch, granting the president the ability to override traditional checks on presidential power. Although it is not an official Trump campaign platform, the involvement of several of Trump's allies has fueled Democratic claims that he would adopt these radical policies if re-elected.
The Biden campaign has also taken steps to highlight the dangers posed by Project 2025. A recently launched campaign website details various policies from the project, aiming to warn voters about the potential consequences of a second Trump term.
Project 2025's proposals cover a wide range of issues, from foreign affairs to education. Among its most controversial suggestions are enforcing laws to prevent the mailing of abortion pills across state lines, criminalizing pornography, and eliminating the Department of Education. The project also advocates for sweeping deregulations in the environmental sector and a crackdown on workplace diversity programs.
One of the most contentious aspects of Project 2025 is its call for a significant expansion of presidential power, particularly over the Department of Justice. This proposal has raised alarms among law enforcement officials who fear it could undermine the department's independence and lead to politically motivated investigations.
Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, stating on social media that he knows "nothing about Project 2025." However, the involvement of his close advisers, such as former administration official Russ Vought, suggests otherwise. Vought, who plays a significant role in Project 2025, also serves as the policy director for the Republican National Convention's platform committee, a position approved by the Trump campaign.
Despite Trump's attempts to downplay his connection to Project 2025, his campaign has endorsed several of its key proposals. These include a drastic increase in political appointees and the elimination of the Department of Education. However, Trump has distanced himself from other aspects, such as restrictions on abortion pills.
The Biden administration has made Project 2025 a central issue, warning that its implementation would signify a severe shift to the hard-right and endanger American democracy. "Project 2025 will destroy America," Biden declared this week, emphasizing the urgency of the matter.
The Supreme Court's recent ruling that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution for actions taken while in office has heightened concerns among Trump's opponents. They argue that increasing presidential power as proposed by Project 2025 could have dire consequences for the rule of law and democratic governance.
In response, the Trump campaign has accused Democrats of fearmongering. "Team Biden and the DNC are lying and fearmongering because they have nothing else to offer the American people," said Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign. The campaign insists that Project 2025 is separate from its official platform and should not be conflated with Trump's policy agenda.
