Trump's Presidential Transition Chair's Policy Group Works With Project 2025 Founder
Trump has announced a presidential transition group after a secret video recording of a former Trump staffer who works for Project 2025 downplayed Trump's attempt to distance himself from the group and their extreme policy proposals. In the video, Project 2025 architect Russ Vought said Trump "blessed" his idea for Project 2025 on his last day in office.
Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025, likely due to its negative coverage. However, multiple stories have linked him and his former staffers to Project 2025 and the group who founded the effort, The Heritage Foundation.
Trump announced transition project
Team Trump
Trump's newly announced transition team consists of two billionaires, Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, his VP pick JD Vance, and two of his sons, Don Jr. and Eric Trump. Vance has explicit ties to Project 2025 and wrote the forward to Project 2025 founder Kevin Roberts' new book.
McMahon is also the Chair of the Board for the American First Policy Institute (AFPI), a group with links to The Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 founder Kevin Roberts.
Linda McMahon's Twitter bio
AFPI has not only worked with The Heritage Foundation, the group that founded Project 2025, but has also praised The Heritage Foundation's selection of Project 2025 founder Kevin Roberts as their new president.
Trump speaking at AFPI's Mar-a-Lago gala in 2023
According to a statement put out by AFPI in October 2021, AFPI President and CEO Brooke Rollins hired Kevin Roberts to ultimately replace her during her time at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, another right wing group.
AFPI congratulating The Heritage Foundation on selecting Kevin Roberts as their new president
Under Rollins' leadership, AFPI has worked with Heritage and Kevin Roberts. In February, during Heritage's 50th anniversary, Rollins was hopeful for what AFPI and Heritage Foundation "can accomplish together on behalf of the American people."
AFPI president posts about The Heritage Foundation
Rollins has also defended the The Heritage Foundation calling the group "friends" that AFPI "stands beside."
AFPI president defending "friends" at the Heritage Foundation
In August, AFPI partnered with Heritage Action for "election integrity" training in Arizona.
AFPI partnering with Heritage in 2022
AFPI has also worked with Heritage to fight against Build Back Better legislation. In 2021, AFPI announced they were working with Kevin Roberts and Russ Vought on Biden's reconciliation efforts. Roberts and Vought went on to launch Project 2025 in 2022.
AFPI working with Heritage
In 2022, Kevin Roberts announced working with AFPI on school funding policy. The two groups have worked on several policies and initiatives together.
Project 2025 founder Kevin Roberts working with AFPI
Trump's presidential transition chair is the founding chair of AFPI, a group that has worked with Project 2025 founder Kevin Roberts and The Heritage Foundation for years. Trump’s attempts to distance himself again from Project 2025 is too late and overshadowed by the massive amount of links he has to the effort.
