Project 2025: Conservative Powerhouse with 50-Year Legacy Shapes GOP’s Future

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the conservative think tank known as the Heritage Foundation has introduced a provocative policy initiative called Project 2025. This ambitious plan aims to redefine American public policy and government structure.

Project 2025 encompasses a range of conservative beliefs, such as emphasizing energy production over environmental concerns and rejecting abortion as healthcare. However, it also includes more radical proposals, such as criminalizing pornography and reorganizing numerous government agencies to align with conservative principles.

Unlike traditional think tanks that focus primarily on academic research, Heritage was created with a dual mission: to develop and actively promote conservative policy ideas. This approach differentiates Heritage from other think tanks, making it a unique entity within the political landscape.

Although all think tanks are classified as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations and are limited in their political activities, Heritage has established affiliated 501(c)(4) entities. This allows them to engage more extensively in political campaigns and lobbying. Heritage is a sponsor of the Republican National Convention, which concludes in Milwaukee on July 18, 2024.

Research for the forthcoming book “Partisan Policy Networks” indicates a trend toward more ideologically driven think tanks that engage directly in policy advocacy. Among these, Heritage stands out due to its alignment with former President Donald Trump’s brand of conservatism and its aggressive promotion of conservative policies through campaign spending, lobbying, and grassroots mobilization.

Americans should anticipate increased visibility for Heritage’s ideas, particularly those outlined in Project 2025, if Trump succeeds in his bid for reelection.

Heritage was established in 1973 by Republican congressional staffers Ed Feulner and Paul Weyrich. They aimed to create a more assertive conservative think tank, contrasting with existing institutions that they viewed as either too liberal or insufficiently proactive. Their discontent was partly fueled by a 1971 incident involving the American Enterprise Institute’s delayed policy report on supersonic transport funding, which intentionally avoided influencing a congressional vote.

Heritage challenges this passive approach. Instead of merely conducting policy research, Heritage aims to build compelling cases for policy change. Heritage Action for America, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, along with the Sentinel Action Fund, a Super PAC established in 2022, spend considerable resources to influence elections and lobby on issues like taxation, abortion, immigration, and environmental policy.

Some scholars and political insiders refer to Heritage and similar groups as “do tanks” rather than “think tanks” due to their active engagement in political processes. Sentinel Action Fund, by virtue of being a Super PAC, can raise and spend unlimited amounts to sway elections, provided there is no direct coordination with candidate campaigns. In the 2022 midterms, the Fund spent over $13 million to support key conservative candidates.

Heritage’s influence extends beyond financial investments. The organization strategically positions former and current employees within congressional offices and the executive branch. By 2017, over 70 former and current Heritage staffers had entered the Trump administration, and four even held cabinet positions in 2021.

Heritage also mobilizes a considerable volunteer base. With over 2 million local activists and approximately 20,000 “Sentinel activists,” the organization coordinates efforts to advocate for conservative policies through strategy calls, legislative contacts, and social media amplification. In 2021, Heritage developed a report on election fraud and coordinated grassroots efforts to push for legislative changes in Georgia, demonstrating the organization’s ability to influence policy through direct action.

Heritage has consistently shaped Republican policies since its inception. When Ronald Reagan became president in 1981, Heritage had a conservative agenda ready for implementation, which Reagan adopted significantly. Similarly, when Trump took office in 2016, Heritage provided a policy framework called the Blueprint for Reorganization.

Project 2025 continues this tradition, presenting a comprehensive agenda for the next Republican president, complete with expert support. However, unlike previous initiatives, Project 2025 explicitly aims to institutionalize Trump’s political vision, as stated by Heritage President Kevin Roberts.

The substantial focus on Project 2025 by news outlets and Biden’s campaign underscores its anticipated impact. While Trump’s campaign maintains a distance from the initiative, likely due to its more extreme elements, Heritage’s policy ideas are expected to play a significant role if Trump is re-elected. The Heritage Foundation remains dedicated to advancing its conservative agenda.