Trump Administration Has Already Advanced Over Half of Project 2025’s Authoritarian Agenda

The Trump administration has wasted no time turning Project 2025’s authoritarian blueprint into reality. According to a detailed analysis by the Center for Progressive Reform and Governing for Impact, 283 of the 532 domestic policy actions outlined in the Heritage Foundation-led plan have already been initiated or completed within just one year of the administration’s start.

Project 2025, unveiled in April 2023, is a sprawling 920-page manifesto crafted by a coalition of right-wing think tanks. It lays out a sweeping agenda to dismantle independent civil service protections, politicize federal agencies, and concentrate power in the White House — all under the guise of conservative governance.

James Goodwin, Interim Co-Executive Director of the Center for Progressive Reform, sums up the stakes: “Project 2025 is both a radical conservative policy to-do list and a blueprint for defusing or co-opting any governing institutions that might stand in the way. The administration’s progress shows how successfully they have transformed the executive branch into a tool of authoritarianism.”

Key early moves targeted the independent civil service — long a bulwark against political interference. The administration has slashed federal workforce numbers and replaced career officials with loyalists willing to put allegiance to the president above the law. This has allowed political appointees to seize control of policy decisions traditionally handled by experts.

Elisabeth Mabus of Governing for Impact highlights the administration’s weaponization of federal funding and policy to punish dissenters and reward cronies: “Federal funding and policy decisions are now designed to punish those who disagree with the administration. But even facing political retribution, people continue to resist and challenge these often unlawful actions.”

The consequences are severe. Without institutional checks, the administration’s actions threaten civil liberties, especially for marginalized communities, and erode fairness and rule-of-law principles. Federico Holm, Research Scientist at the Center for Progressive Reform, warns of the long-term damage: “The partial implementation of Project 2025 has already dealt a seismic blow to agency capacity and scientific expertise. If fully implemented, agency expertise could be decimated.”

Yet Holm sees a sliver of hope: the next presidential administration could seize this crisis as a chance to rebuild the administrative state — prioritizing democracy and science over loyalty and authoritarian control.

Project 2025’s ongoing implementation represents a direct assault on democratic governance, civil rights, and the integrity of the federal workforce. As this agenda advances, vigilance and resistance remain critical to preserving the rule of law and protecting the public interest.