Donald Trump delivered a campaign speech in Pennsylvania that critics say comes directly from the controversial Project 2025. Trump has distanced himself from the document in recent months, but his opponents insist he is connected, citing the fact that hundreds of Trump administration staff were reportedly involved in its formulation.
Speaking to roughly 5,000 supporters, former President Trump pledged to implement one of Project 2025’s proposals: dismantling the Department of Education. He said the federal government is ultimately responsible for falling education standards nationwide and should be removed from the equation. “I’m going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states,” he said.
Trump declared that the United States is ranked 40th in the world for education, but the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Better Life Index places the US in 21st place. Nevertheless, Mr. Trump said education must be governed by states, and this will reveal the disparities. “A lot of the states will do very well,” he added.
It was not the first time that Trump has proposed policies found in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. Mainstream media sources say they have identified at least 270 instances of agreement between the former President and the contentious government blueprint. Among these are the abolition of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, pushback against radical gender ideology, and ending subsidies for electric vehicles.
Additionally, Project 2025 calls for thousands of federal employees to be fired and replaced by Trump loyalists, mirroring Trump’s rhetoric about what he calls the “deep state.” The former President maintains that government employees are destroying the country, are corrupt and dishonest, and “they’re going to be held accountable.”
While Trump distances himself from the document, polling reveals that the public is aware of Project 2025 and broadly disapproves of its content. An NBC survey found that 57% of voters oppose it, while just 4% view it in a positive light. Among Republicans, 33% disapprove of the proposals, while 7% feel positively about them. Democrats are more united, with 85% opposing Project 2025.
