Paul Dans, the former director of Project 2025, a conservative policy roadmap, expressed in a CNN interview that he is not worried about Vice President Kamala Harris using the proposal against Donald Trump in an upcoming debate. Dans mentioned that Trump had no involvement in the creation of the plan, which was backed by the Heritage Foundation and multiple organizations. He also stated that he has met with Trump campaign leadership on several occasions and interacted with the former president at events.
Despite efforts by Harris and her allies to link Trump to Project 2025, Trump has repeatedly denied any association with the plan. However, a CNN review earlier this year found that around 140 individuals who worked in the Trump administration were involved in the project. Harris highlights the conservative policies outlined in Project 2025 as evidence of Trump’s extreme agenda, aiming to show that a return to the White House by the former president could mean reverting the country to outdated practices.
Dans emphasized that Trump himself was not a part of crafting the proposal and attributed the significant number of former Trump administration employees involved in the project to natural coordination among colleagues. He clarified that the plan was a collaborative effort of 110 groups within the conservative movement, showcasing unity and a common sense approach. Despite Trump’s criticism of the plan earlier this year, Dans suggested that the project was a positive effort to unite the conservative movement.
Regarding his decision to step down as director of Project 2025, Dans responded to criticism from Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita by stating that reports of his departure were exaggerated, alluding to Mark Twain. He denied any connection to the Trump campaign team but did not directly address LaCivita’s warning. In an interview with The New York Times, Dans criticized campaign advisers LaCivita and Susie Wiles for their handling of Trump’s campaign during the shift to supporting Harris after President Joe Biden’s exit from the race.
Dans expressed optimism about changes made to Trump’s campaign team, including the addition of high-profile names like Corey Lewandowski, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Ben Carson. He indicated that he was excited about the shift in leadership and suggested that the adjustments could potentially improve Trump’s campaign strategy. Despite the ongoing efforts to link Trump to Project 2025, Dans remained firm in his position that the former president had no direct involvement in the plan and that the project represented a collaborative effort within the conservative movement.
