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Kamala Harris invokes Project 2025 on debate stage as Donald Trump rejects any link: ‘I’m an open book'
The high-octane debate between Harris and Trump kicked off on Tuesday night, with the US VP invoking Project 2025, which Democrats describe as radical.
The high-octane debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump kicked off on Tuesday night, with the Democratic candidate invoking Project 2025, which Democrats describe as radical.
While Harris attempted to link Trump to Project 2025, the contentious right-wing guidebook on national governance, the former President made an effort to disassociate himself.
The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation penned the 922-page “Mandate for Leadership,” which lays out a blueprint for how the next Republican administration should manage the US: by completely reorganizing the federal government.
According to the plan, the president's power would be dramatically increased and up to 50,000 federal employees would be fired and replaced with Trump supporters.
Over two dozen former Trump administration officials drafted Project 2025, but the former president said the book has nothing to do with his campaign.
On Tuesday night, the former president again claims to have “nothing to do with Project 2025” and to have “purposefully” avoided reading the suggested conservative agenda.
“It makes no difference … Everybody knows I’m an open book. Everybody knows what I’m going to do,” he remarked.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump previously stated, “I know nothing about Project 2025.”
“I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
A quick look at Project 2025
Project 2025 calls for shutting down the US Departments of Education and Homeland Security, while the Department of Health and Human Services would be required to advocate a policy of safeguarding “the fundamental right to life.”
In addition, the plan calls for criminalizing pornography and prosecuting anyone caught sending abortion pills by mail. Moreover, data on abortions will be maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the Democratic National Convention, Democrats brought up Project 2025 on multiple occasions to warn voters that a Trump administration would implement what they saw to be a harsh plan for a dictatorial administration.
Debate stage witnessed awkward handshake
Just before the debate, Harris and Trump shared an awkward handshake. Harris then responded to the first question concerning whether the US economy is doing better now than it was four years ago.
Before restating some of the more populist aspects of her economic program, such as tax breaks for new parents, assistance for first-time homeowners, and support for small companies, Harris referred to herself as a “middle-class kid.”
“My opponent, on the other hand, his plan is to do what he has done before, which is to provide a tax cut for billionaires and big corporations,” Harris said.
In response, Trump said, “Everybody knows what I’m going to do – cut taxes very substantially and create a great economy.”
