Trump distanced himself from Project 2025 during his campaign. Now he’s tapped several people tied to the controversial manifesto to serve in his administration.

Donald Trump distanced himself from the conservative Project 2025 playbook throughout his campaign. Now, he is tapping its contributors to lead his government.

Though President-elect Donald Trump tried throughout the 2024 campaign to distance himself from the Heritage Foundation-led initiative Project 2025 -- a sprawling right-wing plan to remake the federal government in the MAGA mold -- his transition team has named several individuals with tight connections to the initiative to key posts in his forthcoming administration.