Who Wrote Project 2025 – Heritage Foundation and Key Authors
Project 2025 represents one of the most comprehensive policy initiatives in recent American political history, bringing together dozens of conservative organizations under the coordination of the Heritage Foundation. Understanding who authored this detailed blueprint requires examining its leadership structure, contributor network, and organizational framework.
The initiative, officially titled “Project 2025: Presidential Transition Project,” emerged as a coordinated effort to prepare a personnel database and policy roadmap for the next conservative administration. Its primary document, the 900-page Mandate for Leadership, represents the collaborative work of dozens of conservative scholars and former government officials.
This investigation into Project 2025’s authorship reveals a structured approach to conservative governance planning that spans multiple organizations and draws heavily from former Trump administration officials.
Who Wrote Project 2025?
Key Insights on Authorship
- The Heritage Foundation served as the primary coordinating organization for Project 2025
- Forty primary authors contributed to the Mandate for Leadership document
- According to the New York Times, 18 of those 40 authors had served in the first Trump administration by October 2024
- The Revolving Door Project identified that 25 of the 30 chapters were written by former Trump officials
- Hundreds of additional conservatives provided contributions and review
- The document spans 30 chapters covering all aspects of federal government operations
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Primary Authors | Heritage Foundation + 40 named contributors |
| Document Length | 900+ pages |
| Chapters | 30 chapters across all federal domains |
| Goal | Policy blueprint for conservative administration |
| Contributing Organizations | 45+ right-of-center groups |
| Status | Ongoing initiative since 2022 |
Who Leads Project 2025?
Paul Dans: Original Director
Paul Dans served as the director of Project 2025 and held a central role in shaping the initiative’s direction. Alongside Steven Groves, the Margaret Thatcher fellow at Heritage, Dans served as one of the two main editors of the Mandate for Leadership document. His background positioned him to coordinate the extensive contributor network that produced the comprehensive policy guide.
Dans stepped down as director in August 2024 to focus on the election campaign, transitioning leadership responsibilities during a critical period of the initiative’s public visibility. His departure came amid heightened media scrutiny of Project 2025’s connections to the Trump campaign.
Kevin Roberts: Heritage Foundation President
Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, assumed leadership of Project 2025 following Dans’s departure. Roberts had been deeply involved in the initiative from its inception, co-writing substantial portions of the Mandate alongside Roger Severino and Paul Dans.
In April 2024, Roberts publicly stated that he had spoken with Trump about the project, though the Trump campaign denied this account. This discrepancy highlights the complex relationship between the initiative’s organizers and the former president’s team.
Roger Severino and Steven Groves
Roger Severino, vice president of domestic policy at Heritage, co-wrote significant portions of the Mandate document. Steven Groves, serving as the Margaret Thatcher fellow at Heritage, shared editorial responsibilities with Dans as co-editor of the 900-page policy guide.
The leadership structure shifted notably during 2024, with Roberts taking a more prominent public role following Dans’s departure. This transition occurred as Project 2025 faced increased scrutiny during the presidential election cycle.
What Organizations Contributed to Project 2025?
Project 2025 brought together an extensive network of conservative organizations. The initiative initially included 45 right-of-center organizations as of early 2023, though this number fluctuated throughout the project period. According to Wikipedia reporting, the number of advisory board members listed in press releases varied from 21 in June 2022 to more than 100 in February 2024.
The project rested on four distinct pillars designed to provide a comprehensive framework for conservative governance:
- A policy guide titled Mandate for Leadership
- A “conservative LinkedIn” personnel networking platform
- A “Presidential Administration Academy” for training potential appointees
- A “playbook” for implementing policies during the first administration period
Funding Sources
The Heritage Foundation invested substantially in Project 2025, spending $22 million preparing staffing recommendations for a conservative government. According to Wikipedia reporting, nearly half of the project’s collaborating organizations received dark money contributions from a network of fundraising groups linked to Leonard Leo.
Leo represents a major conservative donor and has played a significant role in guiding Trump’s federal judicial nominee selections, according to multiple sources including Wikipedia.
The collaborative model allowed dozens of organizations to contribute expertise in specific policy areas, creating a comprehensive document that addressed federal government operations across multiple domains.
Is Project 2025 Connected to Donald Trump?
The relationship between Project 2025 and Donald Trump represents one of the most debated aspects of the initiative. While Trump did not create Project 2025, according to statements from both Heritage and the Trump campaign, connections between the initiative and Trump’s orbit have been extensively documented.
Early Alignment and Endorsement
Project 2025 was established in 2022 specifically to provide the 2024 Republican presidential nominee with a personnel database and ideological framework. In 2022, Trump endorsed the Heritage Foundation, saying it would “lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do.”
Personnel Overlap
The personnel overlap between Project 2025 and the Trump administration proves substantial. The New York Times found that 18 of the 40 primary authors had served in the first Trump administration by October 2024. The Revolving Door Project identified that 25 of the 30 chapters were written by former Trump officials.
Following the 2024 election, multiple sources documented that many Project 2025 architects received appointments to positions in Trump’s new administration.
Trump’s Public Distancing
In July 2024, Trump publicly distanced himself from Project 2025, stating “I know nothing about Project 2025” on social media. After this disavowal, many advisory board members were removed from the Heritage website, including America First Legal, founded by Stephen Miller.
Heritage and Trump both maintained that Trump did not create Project 2025. However, Kevin Roberts’s statement about conversations with Trump conflicts with the Trump campaign’s denial, creating uncertainty about the extent of coordination between the initiative and the candidate’s team.
What Is the Core Document of Project 2025?
The central publication of Project 2025 is the policy guide titled “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise.” This comprehensive document was published in April 2023 and contains more than 900 pages of detailed policy recommendations spanning 30 chapters across all aspects of the federal government.
Document Structure and Content
The Mandate for Leadership represents the collaborative effort of 40 primary authors with contributions from hundreds of conservatives. Each chapter addresses a specific federal agency or policy domain, providing detailed recommendations for restructuring, reforming, or eliminating various government functions.
The document serves as both a policy blueprint and an operational guide, including specific changes to federal government structure and proposed executive orders for presidential implementation.
Notable Chapter Authors
Several contributors held prominent roles in drafting specific sections. Russell Vought from the Center for Renewing America authored the chapter on the Executive Office of the President and played a significant role in drafting the playbook for the first 180 days of a new administration.
Daren Bakst, Deputy Director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, contributed to energy and environmental policy sections. Hans A. von Spakovsky from Heritage authored the chapter addressing the Federal Election Commission.
Karoline Leavitt appeared in promotional materials as one of Project 2025’s instructors teaching “The Art of Professionalism,” according to reporting by the American Federation of Government Employees.
Timeline of Project 2025 Development
Understanding the chronology of Project 2025 helps contextualize its development and the evolution of its public profile.
- 2022: Project 2025 announced by the Heritage Foundation as a presidential transition initiative
- June 2022: Initial advisory board listing includes 21 members
- April 2023: Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise published as a 900+ page document
- Early 2023: Project expands to include 45 right-of-center organizations
- February 2024: Advisory board membership exceeds 100 members
- April 2024: Kevin Roberts states he spoke with Trump about the project; Trump campaign denies this
- July 2024: Trump publicly disavows Project 2025 on social media
- August 2024: Paul Dans steps down as director to focus on the election
- November 2024: Multiple Project 2025 architects appointed to Trump administration positions
Project 2025 Authorship: Established Facts vs. Uncertainties
Clear documentation exists for several key aspects of Project 2025’s authorship and structure, while other details remain subjects of competing claims or limited verification.
| Established Information | Information That Remains Unclear |
|---|---|
| Held by Heritage Foundation | Level of direct Trump involvement in planning |
| Paul Dans served as director | Whether Trump genuinely reviewed the document |
| Mandate for Leadership contains 900+ pages | Full extent of coordination with campaign |
| 40 primary authors named | Specific content of certain chapter contributions |
| 18 authors served in first Trump administration | Complete funding sources beyond Heritage spending |
| Kevin Roberts assumed leadership in 2024 | Implementation timeline under new administration |
Context: Project 2025 in Conservative Policy Tradition
Project 2025 continues a tradition of comprehensive conservative policy planning that extends beyond individual electoral cycles. The Heritage Foundation has produced similar mandate documents for previous administrations, creating a continuity of ideological framework that transcends specific candidates.
The initiative’s design reflects lessons from previous presidential transitions, emphasizing early preparation of personnel and detailed policy proposals. By establishing a four-pillar structure encompassing policy, personnel, training, and implementation guidance, Project 2025 aimed to address gaps that had complicated previous conservative governance efforts.
The substantial overlap between Project 2025 contributors and former Trump administration officials reflects broader patterns in conservative coalition building, where experienced practitioners from previous Republican administrations contribute to policy development for future candidates.
Key Sources and Verification
Multiple sources provide documentation for the claims in this analysis. The Wikipedia coverage of Project 2025 includes extensive citations to news reports, official Heritage Foundation statements, and primary documentation. The Heritage Foundation’s own website provides official statements and the full Mandate for Leadership document.
“A personnel project designed to identify, train, and place conservatives in positions where they can begin to build a new conservative government.”
— Heritage Foundation description of Project 2025
“I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things their other say and the differenttransformation ideas.”
— Donald Trump, July 2024
The American Federation of Government Employees has published reporting documenting the connections between Project 2025 architects and the incoming Trump administration, providing verification for claims about personnel appointments following the 2024 election.
Summary
Project 2025 was written primarily by the Heritage Foundation, which served as the coordinating organization for a coalition of conservative groups. Paul Dans, as director, and Steven Groves, as co-editor, led the production of the 900-page Mandate for Leadership document, which involved 40 primary authors and hundreds of contributors. The substantial involvement of former Trump administration officials—documented as 18 of 40 primary authors by the New York Times—demonstrates clear connections between the initiative and Trump’s political orbit. While Trump publicly distanced himself from Project 2025 during the 2024 campaign, the subsequent appointment of numerous Project 2025 architects to administration positions suggests continued alignment between the initiative’s contributors and the new administration.
For those interested in understanding the broader context of Trump’s public communications during this period, our analysis of Trump Truth Social Posts – How to View and Latest Analysis provides additional background.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Project 2025?
Project 2025 is a comprehensive political initiative launched by the Heritage Foundation in April 2023 designed to reshape the U.S. federal government. It includes a policy guide, personnel database, training programs, and implementation playbook.
When was Project 2025 published?
The core document, Mandate for Leadership, was published in April 2023 as a 900+ page policy guide. The initiative itself was announced in 2022.
How many people wrote the Mandate for Leadership?
Forty primary authors contributed to the document, with additional contributions from hundreds of conservatives. The work spans 30 chapters covering all aspects of federal government.
Did Donald Trump create Project 2025?
No. Both Heritage and Trump clarified that Trump did not create Project 2025. However, many contributors had served in the first Trump administration, and Trump endorsed the Heritage Foundation’s work in 2022.
Who funds Project 2025?
The Heritage Foundation spent $22 million on the initiative. Nearly half of collaborating organizations received dark money contributions linked to Leonard Leo’s network of conservative donors.
What happened to Project 2025 after the 2024 election?
Following the election, multiple sources documented that many Project 2025 architects were appointed to positions in Trump’s new administration, suggesting significant implementation of the initiative’s recommendations.
Who are the key figures in Project 2025?
Key figures include Paul Dans (original director), Kevin Roberts (Heritage Foundation president who assumed leadership), Steven Groves (co-editor of Mandate), and Roger Severino (vice president of domestic policy at Heritage).
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