This article is part of a series from the Center for American Progress exposing how the sweeping Project 2025 policy agenda would harm all Americans. This new authoritarian playbook, published by the Heritage Foundation, would destroy the 250-year-old system of checks and balances upon which U.S. democracy has relied and give far-right politicians, judges, and corporations more control over Americans’ lives.
Project 2025, officially titled Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, is an extremist blueprint crafted by the Heritage Foundation to guide a far-right presidential administration. This 900-page manifesto outlines sweeping policy proposals that would upend nearly every aspect of American life. At its core, Project 2025 seeks to unravel the system of checks and balances that has been foundational to American democracy for nearly 250 years.
Far from a fringe idea, the authoritarian playbook is already influencing state policies in places that are seeing attacks on reproductive rights, worker protections, and public safety. From stripping away women’s rights to dismantling union efforts, Project 2025 paints a disturbing picture of the future that the far right envisions for our country.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Project 2025.
1. What’s Project 2025’s goal?
Project 2025 is a road map for how a new far-right presidential administration can take over the country. Fundamentally, the authoritarian playbook proposes to consolidate power in the presidency, and in order to do that, it would remove the checks and balances that have defined our republic since its founding.
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2. How would Project 2025 affect Social Security benefits?
The authors behind Project 2025 have endorsed an increase to the full retirement age from 67 to 69. Doing so would cut benefits for nearly three-quarters of Americans and threaten low- and moderate-income workers—particularly women, who live longer and must draw on their retirement savings for a longer period—with economic insecurity once they leave the workforce.
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3. How would Project 2025 affect unions?
Project 2025 aims to eliminate “card check,” a key method workers use to form unions and negotiate for improved wages, benefits, and working conditions. The plan also seeks to diminish the authority of the National Labor Relations Board, making it more difficult for unions to be established and recognized. In addition, it calls for a ban on public employee unions and grants states the power to outlaw unions altogether.
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4. How would Project 2025 affect veterans?
Project 2025 proposes making it harder for veterans to obtain disability benefits by reducing the number of medical conditions that service members can claim to qualify for disabled status. It also pushes to automate claims, which could increase denial rates—similar to the experience patients have had with health insurance denials—and place a heavier administrative burden on veterans.
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5. How would Project 2025 affect people in my community?
Project 2025 would disrupt nearly every aspect of American lives—from health care and education access to taxes and retirement security. The Center for American Progress published a series of fact sheets to provide insight on how this authoritarian playbook would harm people state to state.
Explore the fact sheets
6. Where can I read Project 2025 in full?
The Heritage Foundation’s 900-page extremist Mandate for Leadership, dubbed “Project 2025: Presidential Transition Project,” can be accessed here.
Conclusion
Project 2025 isn’t just a policy document; it’s a blueprint for dismantling the systems that protect Americans’ rights and freedoms. The policies outlined in the playbook would radically reshape American society in ways that prioritize power for a select few at the expense of the many. As this radical agenda gains traction, it’s crucial for Americans to stay informed and mobilized. By understanding the full scope of the plan, we can stand together to protect our democracy and safeguard the rights that make our country strong.
What Do You Want To Know About Project 2025?