Social media influencer Leigh McGown, aka PoliticsGirl, shut down Republican CNN pundit Scott Jennings after he tried to distance former President Donald Trump from Project 2025 and suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris is wrong to draw attention to Trump's involvement.
Project 2025 is a set of conservative and right-wing policy proposals from the Heritage Foundation aimed at restructuring the United States federal government and consolidating executive power if the Republican nominee wins the 2024 presidential election.
It is a comprehensive document detailing what a future Trump presidency would entail, encompassing not just policy proposals on immigration, education, and the economy, but also a vision of the America that conservatives aim to create in the next Republican administration, whether led by Trump or another standard bearer.
The document serves as a meticulous blueprint for implementing this vision, providing recommendations for key White House staff, cabinet positions, Congress, federal agencies, commissions, and boards. It also outlines a vetting process to ensure the appointment and hiring of individuals aligned with this vision at every level of government.
Although Trump has claimed to have no knowledge of these proposals, it's worth noting that of the 38 individuals responsible for writing and editing Project 2025, 31 were appointed or nominated to positions in the Trump administration and transition.
But Jennings pushed the lie that Trump knows nothing of it at all, saying:
"Look, I was sort of taken aback by the absolute full-on attack on Trump. We’ve heard it all before. It sounded a little frantic to me, to be honest, this close to the end of the election. I took a few notes. Again, they’re still pushing the lie about Project 2025."
"It doesn’t matter how many times she says it, Donald Trump did not write it, he has disavowed it. This is not his agenda. He has his own campaign agenda, it is not Project 2025—"
At this point, McGowan cut him off:
“No, it’s Agenda 47, which is exactly the same as Project 2025, and you can say that as many times as you want, Scott, but it’s not true.”
Indeed, Agenda 47 and Project 2025 reflect similar themes and policy goals, including increasing presidential authority, such as by reinstating Schedule F, reducing the Department of Education's role, implementing large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants, enforcing the death penalty for drug dealers, and deploying the National Guard to liberal cities with high crime or "disorderly" conditions.
After Jennings rested his chin on his fist and stared at McGowan, she continued:
“That’s a very smug way to look at me, my friend.”
“You’re totally overlooking what she has done here. She’s brought together 100,000 people to say, ‘I look forward to the future. I will be a president for everyone and not just a president for the people that I like.'
"And if you look at it in contrast to what we looked at Madison Square Garden, which said, ‘Hey man, we don’t like you, we don’t like you, we don’t like you, we don’t like you, we’re not for you, we’re not for you.’ And she’s saying everyone is an American, everyone will be taken care of.”
You can watch their exchange in the video below.
Many have called Jennings out.
Despite what Trump may say publicly, Brooke Rollins, his former domestic policy chief, who is now CEO of the Trump-endorsed America First Policy Institute, as well as Paul Dans, who plays an integral role in the "America First" agenda, have acknowledged Agenda 47 is aligned with the goals of Project 2025.
Many conservative groups have thrown their support behind the effort even if the architects of the project have avoided discussing it on the campaign trail for fear of bogging down Trump's campaign.
Nonetheless, Harris has continued to spotlight Trump's involvement, noting in one recent political ad that "Donald Trump may try to deny it but those are Donald Trump's plans." The Harris campaign has stressed that if Trump wins the election, "we will pay the price."
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