DNC spokesman makes claims about Project 2025

A video titled “Project 2025 – Chapter 1: Introduction” shown during the DNC on Monday night included claims about former President Donald Trump's plans if he is elected to a second term. The video was followed by remarks from Michigan Senator Mallory McMorrow, who also spoke about “Project 2025.” Project 2025 is the name of the Heritage Foundation's nearly 1,000-page handbook for the next Republican administration that has become a cudgel used by Democrats to attack Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance. The handbook proposes sweeping changes in the federal government. Some of the claims about Project 2025 require clarification or further explanation. Here's a look: Claim: During her address, Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow held up a large book and said, “This is Project 2025.” She went on to describe the document as a “Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.” The facts: Project 2025 is a real initiative. Organized by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups, it is designed to create a policy framework for a future Republican presidency. However, Trump has distanced himself from the project, which he called “really extreme,” according to factcheck.org. Rating: Must be put in context. Claim: The state senator claimed that Project 2025 is “designed to turn Donald Trump into a dictator.” The facts: This is a very explosive statement and reflects McMorrow's interpretation of the potential impact of Project 2025. While the plan advocates consolidating executive power, it does not explicitly state an intention to establish a dictatorship. In addition, Trump has distanced himself from the project. Rating: Misleading McMorrow explained that page 535 of Project 2025 states, “Renew Trump's Executive Order Schedule F to allow firing of underperforming employees.” She further explained, “If Donald Trump returns to the White House, he will fire officials such as intelligence officials, engineers, and even federal prosecutors if he decides they do not serve his personal agenda.” Get the facts: Project 2025's plan supports renewing Executive Order Schedule F, which would allow the president to fire federal employees in that category without the usual civil service protections. It could be used to fire employees for political reasons, but the statement is speculative about Trump's intent. Rating: Needs context. Reading from page 873 of Project 2025, McMorrow said the document states that “conservatives have long believed in either ending the law enforcement activities of independent agencies or ending their independent status.” Get the facts: While Project 2025 documents do discuss reducing the power and independence of certain agencies, this is presented as a means of ensuring accountability and not necessarily as a means of politicizing those agencies. The interpretation that this would lead to politicization is speculative.Rating: Context needed McMorrow claimed that under Project 2025, Trump “could use the Justice Department as a weapon to go after his political opponents,” and further stated that Trump “could even turn the FBI into his own personal police force.” Get the facts: Concerns about “weaponizing” the Justice Department stem from the potential reduction in agency independence. The document does not explicitly suggest weaponizing the Justice Department. The claim is speculative and reflects a worst-case scenario interpretation. Much like the Justice Department's claim, the statement about the FBI is speculative. Because while Project 2025 could lead to changes in how agencies like the FBI operate, there is no explicit plan to turn it into a “personal police force.”Rating: Misleading McMorrow mentioned that Donald Trump has appointed three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court during his term and a recent decision by the court regarding presidential immunity. She said that “Donald Trump's handpicked Supreme Court makes him completely immune from prosecution even when he breaks the law.”Get the facts: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled for the first time in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution. However, the court's decision did not make Trump immune from prosecution, nor did the court grant the former president legal immunity.Rating: False

“Project 2025” is the name of the Heritage Foundation's nearly 1,000-page handbook for the next Republican administration, which has become a kind of weapon for the Democrats against Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance. The handbook proposes comprehensive changes in the federal government.

Some of the claims about Project 2025 require clarification or further explanation. Here's a look:

Claim: During his speech, Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow held up a large book and said: “This is Project 2025.” She further described the document as a “Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”

Get the facts: Project 2025 is a real initiative. Organized by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups, it aims to create a political framework for a future Republican presidency. However, Trump has distanced himself from the project, which he called “seriously extreme,” according to factcheck.org.

Reviews: Needs context

Claim: The State Senator claimed that Project 2025 was “planned to turn Donald Trump into a dictator.”

Here are the facts: This is a very explosive statement and reflects McMorrow's interpretation of the potential impact of Project 2025. While the plan advocates the consolidation of executive power, it does not explicitly state the intention to establish a dictatorship. Moreover, Trump has distanced himself from the project.

Reviews: Misleading

McMorrow explained that On page 535 of Project 2025 it states: “Reissuing Trump’s Executive Order Schedule F to allow for the firing of employees with performance failures.” She further stated that “If Donald Trump returns to the White House, he will fire officials such as intelligence officers, engineers and even federal prosecutors if he decides they do not serve his personal goals.”

Get the facts: The Project 2025 plan supports reissuing Executive Order Schedule F, which would allow the president to fire federal employees in this category without the usual civil service protections. The order could be used to fire employees for political reasons, but the statement is speculative about Trump's intent.

Reviews: Needs context

Reading from page 873 of Project 2025, McMorrow said the document states: “Conservatives have long believed that either the law enforcement activities of independent agencies or their independent status must end.”

Get the facts: While Project 2025 documents discuss limiting the power and independence of certain agencies, this is presented as a means of ensuring accountability and not necessarily as a means of politicizing those agencies. The interpretation that this would lead to politicization is speculative.

Reviews: Needs context

McMorrow claimed that Project 2025 would allow Trump to “weaponize the Justice Department to prosecute his political opponents,” and further stated that Trump “could even turn the FBI into his personal police force.”

Get the facts: Concerns about the Justice Department being used as a weapon stem from the fact that this could limit the agency's independence. The document does not explicitly suggest using the Justice Department as a weapon. The claim is speculative and reflects a worst-case scenario interpretation. Similar to the Justice Department's claim, the statement about the FBI is also speculative. Because while Project 2025 could lead to changes in the way agencies like the FBI operate, there is no explicit plan to transform it into a “personal police force.”

Reviews: Misleading

McMorrow mentioned that Donald Trump appointed three U.S. Supreme Court justices during his term in office and that the court had recently made a decision on presidential immunity. She said that “Donald Trump's hand-picked Supreme Court has made him completely immune from prosecution even when he breaks the law.”

Here are the facts: In July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for the first time that former presidents enjoy broad immunity from prosecution. However, the court's decision did not protect Trump from prosecution, nor did the court grant the former president immunity.

Reviews: INCORRECT