The Heritage Foundation, the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025, has frequently bragged in fundraising materials about its influence on former President Donald Trump and his administration. The group’s numerous remarks contradict Trump’s attempts to put distance between him and Project 2025, the Heritage-led plan to provide staffing and policy priorities for the next Republican administration. 

Among many other boasts, Heritage said during the Trump administration that he “embraced over 64% of The Heritage Foundation’s policy recommendations” and “confirmed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is on our side.” Heritage also said that it “placed over 60 policy experts in the Trump Administration”; “provided the blueprints to fulfill his campaign promises”; and crafted “the conservative policy research that President Trump” counted on.

As one Heritage email from 2018 said, “President Trump has already embraced 64% of our recommendations—and with you by our side, we can continue influencing him.”

There has been heavy scrutiny on Project 2025 in recent weeks. (More about the project can be found here.) In response to growing criticism of its extreme policy and staffing proposals, Trump has attempted to deny knowledge of the plan. But Project 2025 director Paul Dans said that the former president is “very bought in with this” and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said that “our respective staffs have been in conversation throughout the campaign.” Further, Trump has repeatedly praised Heritage, and CNN reported that “at least 140 people who worked for him are involved” with Project 2025. 

A review of Heritage’s fundraising materials on its website and in emails found that the organization has frequently boasted about its vast influence on Trump during his administration. Here are over a dozen examples prior to the launch of Project 2025. 

Heritage: “Trump turned to Heritage’s team of policy experts and researchers have provided the blueprints to fulfill his campaign promises: jump-starting the economy, reducing the size and spending of federal government, securing our borders, and repealing and replacing Obamacare.” 

Heritage: “Our conservative allies in Congress – and in the Trump Administration – rely on Heritage to provide the best research and guidance for tax policy and border security. … Penn cited the fact that President Trump embraced 64% of our 344 policy proposals. Plus, we’ve placed over 60 policy experts in the Trump Administration!” 

Heritage: “As a Heritage member you have already enabled Heritage to effectively communicate rigorous conservative policy to the Trump administration, Congress and the American people. … With your support, you can arm Donald Trump and the new Congress with Heritage’s solutions to repeal Obamacare immediately, reform taxes and entitlements, and protect our borders.” 

Heritage: “As America’s premier policy organization, Heritage has the resources and influence to effectively communicate rigorous conservative policy research to the Trump administration, Congress, and the American people. … Heritage is ready to fight the liberal agenda and help President Trump gain much needed policy victories, but we can’t succeed without you by our side.” 

Heritage: “The Trump administration continues to turn to Heritage for policy guidance. In fact, more than a dozen former Heritage staff in key positions of the Trump administration.” 

Heritage: “The Trump administration continues to turn to Heritage for policy guidance. In fact, in his first year of office, Trump has implemented 64% of our Mandate for Leadership plan, putting America in a strong position to win the battles to come.” 

Heritage: “For the last eight years, liberals have been stacking the federal courts with radical liberal judges — judges who take it upon themselves to create laws rather than interpret them. The Heritage Foundation has given Donald Trump a list of conservatives who could be appointed to the Supreme Court.” 

Heritage: “Since taking office more than two and a half years ago, President Trump has embraced over 64% of The Heritage Foundation’s policy recommendations.” 

Heritage: “President Trump and conservatives in Congress rely on Heritage for principled solutions. We are your voice in Washington.” 

Heritage: “Members of Heritage's Board of Trustees are putting $1 million on the table to further advance conservative solutions, and they’re challenging committed patriots like you to match them! This means that every dollar you give right now will go twice as far towards crafting the conservative policy research that President Trump and congressional leaders are counting on.” 

Heritage: “With all the ground we've made with the Trump administration -- recommending and promoting Neil Gorsuch as the best candidate for the Supreme Court, inspiring the tax reforms that have brought so much relief to our economy, and making significant advances in the fights to reform welfare, immigration, and healthcare -- we can't let liberals get in the way now.” 

Heritage: “President Trump’s tax cuts—shaped by research from The Heritage Foundation—gave more money and more freedom to Americans. And that helps restrain government expansion.” 

Heritage: “Here’s your secure link to activate your Heritage membership now … It only takes a few minutes and would be a huge help as we work with President Trump to advance your conservative principles in the new year.” 

Heritage: “President Trump is looking to Heritage to lead the effort to recommend constitutional conservatives who will uphold the rule of law and respect our founding principles. And we have risen to the task. Since his inauguration, we’ve helped President Trump nominate more judges in his first year than any other President has in decades.” 

Heritage: “President Trump addressed a group of Heritage members. He confirmed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is on our side.” 

Heritage: “Heritage has been instrumental in providing the Trump administration with sound policies and experts who now serve in key government positions. The Trump Administration has drawn from Heritage's plans to balance the budget, cut wasteful government programs and agencies, strengthen our national security, fix our broken immigration system, protect religious liberty and the dignity of life, and provide tax relief to Americans. “