Project 2025 leader: Trump’s goal is “very connected to the aims of Project 2025,” JD Vance is “a great friend of mine and Heritage”

Written by Eric Hananoki

Published

Shortly after former President Donald Trump picked Sen. JD Vance as his running mate, Project 2025 leader and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts called Vance “a great friend of mine and Heritage” and suggested a Trump-Vance administration would have a goal “that's very connected to the aims of Project 2025.”

Project 2025, which is led by the right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation, is an extremist plan to guide staffing and policy priorities for the next Republican administration. The project has become so toxic that Paul Dans, the former Project 2025 director, recently stepped down. 

Trump and his campaign have attempted to put distance between the former president and Project 2025. But there are numerous documented connections between the Trump campaign and the project. The latest and perhaps one of the strongest connections between Trump and the initiative is Vance himself, who wrote a foreword to Roberts’ book and has lavished both Heritage and Roberts with praise.  

Just days after Vance was introduced as Trump’s vice presidential pick, Roberts told radio host Rich Zeoli that he and Vance have “become very good friends” and that “as a friend of Senator Vance and as someone who admires his policies, I couldn't be happier.” He also said: “His being on the ticket isn't even so much about policy, as it is President Trump saying, that's the future of the country, what we're gonna do as a Trump-Vance administration is give American people hope again. Actually, that's very connected to the aims of Project 2025.” 

Kevin Roberts talks about JD Vance

From the July 17, 2024, edition of WPHT's The Rich Zeoli Show

KEVIN ROBERTS (HERITAGE FOUNDATION PRESIDENT): JD is one of the most authentic people I've ever met. He may be — he is one of the most authentic elected officials I've ever met. We've become very good friends because we had similar upbringings. Tens of millions of Americans had hard childhoods. And I, I think therefore he personifies the moment we're in in America, which is that a majority of Americans, lamentably, as we sit here talking, Rich, don't believe the American dream is possible tomorrow. JD Vance's life proves that it is. It doesn't matter if you're white, if you're Black, if you're Asian American, Hispanic. 

His being on the ticket isn't even so much about policy, as it is President Trump saying, that's the future of the country, what we're gonna do as a Trump-Vance administration is give American people hope again. Actually, that's very connected to the aims of Project 2025. So both as a friend of Senator Vance and as someone who admires his policies, I couldn't be happier.

During a July 19, appearance on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Roberts also said of Vance: “The left is apoplectic because Trump remains popular, his vice presidential pick is terrific, a great friend of mine and Heritage.” 

Kevin Roberts talks about JD Vance: "His vice presidential pick is terrific, a great friend of mine and Heritage.”

From the July 19, 2024, edition of Premiere Radio Network's The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

KEVIN ROBERTS (HERITAGE FOUNDATION PRESIDENT): This is the key point: The left is apoplectic because Trump remains popular, his vice presidential pick is terrific, a great friend of mine and Heritage. But most importantly, this is the thing guys, as y'all talk about every day. America knows that we've got one more chance to restore the American dream. What the radical left is saying is the exact opposite, and they're ready to be part of this change, which is why when they go to Project 2025 and learn about it, they say, what’s in here to hate? This is what I believe.