Just hours after taking the oath of office, Donald Trump sat down to sign the first executive orders of his second term. Using his signature sharpie, Trump affixed his name and then held each one up to show his supporters, who clapped and cheered. In the days since, he’s signed even more.
There’s one thing most of these orders have in common: they were spearheaded by the minds behind Project 2025, the 900-page plan to reshape the government that I’ve written extensively about.
During the 2024 election, Project 2025 became a focal point, as the Democrats tried to tie the unpopular plan to Donald Trump. As a result, Trump distanced himself from it, saying that he hadn’t read it, later posting on Truth Social that, “Some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.” In fact, his campaign said he would “greatly welcome” its demise.
Strategically, it was smart, because most voters wanted nothing to do with Project 2025.