Trump Assembles Key Team for Hard-Right Shift with Project 2025, Critics Warn of Power Consolidation
November 24, 2024Donald Trump, having been elected the 47th president on November 5, 2024, is reassembling a key team to implement Project 2025, a previously criticized blueprint for a hard-right shift in U.S. governance.
Key figures from Project 2025 are being appointed to Trump's administration, including Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget, Tom Homan as 'border czar', and Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy.
Trump's plans include reinstating policies from his first term that would reclassify many federal workers as political appointees, thereby increasing his ability to hire loyalists.
Vought's role as OMB director is pivotal, as he aims to enhance presidential control over the federal government, advocating for the OMB to become a powerful entity capable of overriding bureaucratic processes.
Vought's vision aligns with Trump's proposals to leverage 'impoundment', a controversial theory suggesting the president can choose not to spend congressional appropriations deemed unnecessary.
Miller, a long-time advisor, has articulated a vision prioritizing American citizens, while Homan, who oversaw controversial immigration policies, has indicated that no one will be safe from deportation under the new administration.
Despite previously distancing himself from Project 2025 during his campaign, labeling the plans as 'ridiculous and abysmal', Trump is now fully embracing its strategies.
The administration's agenda includes a push for limiting immigration, with Miller expected to play a significant role in shaping these policies.
Trump's intelligence appointments, including John Ratcliffe as CIA head, reflect a hawkish stance toward China, framing it as a primary adversary to the U.S.
Project 2025 contributors are also being placed in critical roles, including John Ratcliffe for CIA director and Brendan Carr for FCC chairman, both expected to push conservative agendas in their respective agencies.
Brendan Carr, Trump's choice for FCC chairman, intends to address issues related to Big Tech, aiming for stricter transparency rules for social media platforms.
Critics, particularly Democrats, argue that Trump's selection of these officials signals a consolidation of power among movement conservatives aimed at enforcing a starkly rightward agenda.
Summary based on 2 sources
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Sources
ABC News • Nov 23, 2024
After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles