Conservative commentator Alex Jones has criticized Donald Trump for distancing himself from Project 2025, an initiative to overhaul the federal government should the former president be reelected.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, drafted Project 2025, which outlines a plan to ensure Republican loyalists are in place at all levels of the federal government to implement conservative policies from the first days of a new Republican administration.
During Monday's episode of his show, the Infowars founder said Trump had been misled by some of his advisers when he disavowed the project.
"Trump gets told by his advisers and people who really just don't want competition in his new White House … 'Oh God, these are radicals, sir. You've got to come out and distance yourself,'" Jones said.
"It's the Heritage Foundation, Trump. And again, Trump's really smart; he's got good instincts. He doesn't understand Republican machinery," Jones continued.
The host said there is a power struggle emerging as Trump aides seek to secure themselves jobs in his second administration should he win the election.
On July 5, Trump disavowed the project, which was put together for the Heritage Foundation by former members of his first administration.
The former president posted on Truth Social: "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."
Trump's reluctance to embrace the plan has angered some Republicans. Newsweek has contacted Alex Jones and the Trump campaign for comment via email outside regular working hours.
The 900-page document proposes reducing civil service roles, expanding presidential power and staffing agencies with politically aligned appointees before implementing various conservative policies.
These policy plans include eliminating the Department of Education, implementing strict immigration policies, and reducing the scope of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, stoked controversy when he told Steve Bannon's War Room podcast, "We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be."
President Joe Biden has criticized Project 2025 and Trump's connection to it, previously saying in a statement: "He's trying to hide his connections to his allies' extreme Project 2025 agenda. The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American."
A spokesperson for Project 2025 previously told Newsweek: "As we've been saying for more than two years now, Project 2025 does not speak for any candidate or campaign.
"We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president. But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
