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It’s about mass expulsions and a radical restructuring of the government: During the election campaign, Trump distanced himself from the “Project 2025” of right-wing thinkers. But now the plans seem relevant again.
There was a phase in the election campaign when “Project 2025” seemed to be at an end. Donald Trump distanced himself from the 900-page government concept that right-wing conservative think tanks had developed under the umbrella of the Heritage Foundation. The criticism from Kamala Harris and the Democrats had become too loud.
But now it is clear: the project is back, the key points have a good chance of being implemented. Kevin Roberts, head of the Heritage Foundation, once again appeared on Fox News with a big chest: “The Americans want their country back. It’s a new dawn in America,” he said. “The federal government is inefficient. And we must improve it – for the benefit of everyday Americans.”
Roberts has just published a new book, for which future Vice President JD Vance wrote the foreword. Linda McMahon, head of another think tank involved in the project, the America First Policy Institute, is co-chair of Trump’s transition team as it prepares for the inauguration on January 20th.
Two authors who have written important chapters of the “Project 2025” concept have already been nominated for office by Trump: Brendan Carr is to head the media regulatory authority FCC in the future, Tom Homan is to organize the mass expulsions of immigrants as border commissioner, as the so-called Border Czar. “Yes, we will get out the handcuffs, make the country safe again and be the first to arrest the bad guys,” Homan said on Fox News.
The other central plan of the future government is the “authoritarian takeover of the state apparatus,” says German historian Thomas Zimmer, who teaches at Georgetown University in Washington: “It starts with the fact that they plan to take over the state apparatus from unpleasant ‘liberal’ bureaucrats and… Cleaning up experts – I think you really have to call it that: cleaning up.”
Tens of thousands of civil servants in central positions in the authorities and ministries should be laid off, he says. “And will be replaced by hard Trumpists, by ideological loyalists, by ‘conservative warriors’ – that’s what they call themselves.”
Database of loyalists
“Project 2025” spent two and a half years building a database with the names and qualifications of such Trump loyalists. The protection against dismissal of existing government employees should be lifted by a presidential emergency decree, explains Zimmer.
The Biden government has issued regulations that make this more difficult. “However, I don’t think Trump will follow the regulations, he will just do it,” says Zimmer. Then it ends up in the courts and finally the Supreme Court. “But the Supreme Court is firmly in right-wing hands. So I have no confidence that there is any way to stop it.”
“This is just scaremongering”
So is there a risk of a radical restructuring of the state because not only are senior government officials being replaced – which is common practice after every election – but the entire base of the government apparatus is being made submissive? Is it even heading towards dictatorship, as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have warned?
James Carafano, one of the Heritage Foundation’s policy directors, says: “That’s just not true. That’s just scaremongering.” The constitution remains unchanged, he assures. “The laws remain unchanged. Nobody is doing anything illegal. There is nothing in our project that points towards dictatorship. It is about implementing the policies for which the president was elected in the first place.”
Ralf Borchard, ARD Washington, tagesschau, November 20, 2024 10:10 a.m
[Section A: Database of Loyalists]
[Section A: Database of Loyalists]
Q: How extensive is the database of loyalists that “Project 2025” has compiled, and what qualifications are required for inclusion in this database?
Q: Is the Biden administration’s regulatory framework strong enough to prevent the use of this database by a potential future President Trump for mass firings and restructuring of the federal government?
[Section B: Implications of the Database]
Q: Are the concerns over a potential purge of the government based on legitimate fears or simply scaremongering?
Q: What are the potential consequences of such a purge on the stability and functioning of American democracy?
[Section C: Heritage Foundation’s Response]
Q: How does the Heritage Foundation justify its role in compiling a database of potential government officials who might be more receptive to a conservative agenda?
Q: What safeguards are in place to ensure that the database is not being used for nefarious purposes or to undermine the democratic process?
[Section D: Future Considerations]
Q: In the event of a mass firing or restructuring of the federal government, what role (if any) should Congress play in ensuring the protection of civil servants and maintaining the legitimacy of government institutions?
Q: How should the media and civil society at large respond to potential threats to democracy posed by partisan efforts to reshape the government bureaucracy?
