President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders have reflected just such an amazing compatibility and similarity with the recommendations on policy formulation of Project 2025. Though the latter never managed to determine whether he would eventually fulfill that, many of its current actions aligned with his campaign promises – specifically, those regarding immigration, diversity policies, and energy development.
Impact of Trump’s Cabinet on Project 2025
Many key figures in Trump’s Cabinet, including Brendan Carr and Russ Vought, played a role in drafting Project 2025. Other contributors to the project included Tom Homan, John Ratcliffe, and Pete Hoekstra, who helped shape the proposals that shaped much of Trump’s executive decisions.
Actions on Immigration and Border Security
In line with Project 2025, Trump executed orders to station National Guard troops along the southern border and halted refugee resettlements via the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). These moves reflect key features of the project.
Executive Orders on Diversity and Inclusion
These actions were furthered by issuing an executive order to rescind the order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, which upheld affirmative action for federal contractors. This act also eliminated the role of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs in promoting diversity. Further, a declaration by the Trump administration was made that “sex” only includes male and female classifications and not gender identity for anti-discrimination policy.
International Agreements and Federal Workforce
As part of his second term, Trump reinstated policies from his first term, such as pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO). He also reinstated his Schedule F order, which reclassified certain federal employees as political appointees, thus making it easier to remove them for disloyalty—an initiative in line with Project 2025’s goals.
Energy and Environmental Policies
Trump further urged energy policies according to Project 2025, which included a policy of Alaska oil and gas drilling, basing his argument on national energy security. On his return to office, he issued an order prioritizing the state’s resources and canceled offshore wind leasing, directly in opposition to the Biden administration’s offshore wind energy development strategy that Project 2025 recommended.