Vice-President Harris Links Project 2025 Controversies to Trump in Presidential Debate

Vice President Kamala Harris attempts to link controversial Project 2025 to former President Donald Trump during a heated presidential debate, sparking denials and accusations.

At a Glance

Harris claims Trump supports Project 2025, a controversial plan for extensive federal policy changes
Trump denies any involvement with Project 2025, stating he hasn’t read it
The debate covers various topics including gun control, foreign policy, and the 2020 election
This may be the only debate before the November general election

Harris Targets Trump with Project 2025 Claims

In a strategic move during the presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris sought to tie former President Donald Trump to the controversial Project 2025. The debate, held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, saw Harris attempting to paint Trump as a supporter of the contentious plan that proposes sweeping changes to federal policy.

Harris, 59, stated emphatically, “What you’re going to hear tonight is a detailed and dangerous plan called Project 2025 that the former president intends on implementing if he were elected again.” This accusation set the tone for a heated exchange between the two candidates.

Harris tries to pin Project 2025 on Trump during presidential debate https://t.co/RmcEcTLihi pic.twitter.com/eYjyfcjB7w

— New York Post (@nypost) September 11, 2024

Trump’s Rebuttal and Project 2025 Overview

Trump vehemently denied any connection to Project 2025, countering Harris’s claims. “I have nothing to do with Project 2025,” he insisted. “That’s out there. I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it, purposely. I’m not going to read it.” The former president’s denial was unequivocal, attempting to distance himself from the plan’s controversial proposals.

“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump previously wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”

Project 2025, a 922-page manifesto developed by the Heritage Foundation, outlines an extensive overhaul of the federal government. The plan includes increasing presidential control, firing up to 50,000 federal workers, and replacing them with loyalists. It also proposes shutting down the US Department of Education and Homeland Security, and promoting a “right to life” agenda through the Department of Health and Human Services.

Debate Highlights Beyond Project 2025

While the Project 2025 controversy dominated headlines, the debate covered a wide range of topics crucial to American voters. Harris positioned herself as an optimistic leader, emphasizing future plans and middle-class support. Trump, on the other hand, criticized Harris for not implementing her plans while in office, repeatedly asking, “Why hasn’t she done it?”

The debate also touched on gun control, with Harris revealing her gun ownership to counter Trump’s accusations. On foreign policy, Trump questioned NATO’s value and suggested he could broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, while Harris supported Israel’s right to defend itself and advocated for a two-state solution.

Implications and Public Reaction

The debate, possibly the only one before the November election, has garnered significant public and media attention. Political experts suggest that this year’s debate could have a more substantial impact on voter choice than usual, given the closeness of the race and the divisions within and between the major parties.

“Although debates typically do not have detectable differences on vote choice, this year might well be one of the exceptions, reflecting the evident closeness of the race and the divisions between and within the two major parties. President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection and Harris’ rapid replacement as the Democratic candidate have added to the seeming turbulence and uncertainty of the race,” said Karen Hult, a political science professor at Virginia Tech.

As the dust settles from this high-stakes debate, both campaigns will be closely monitoring public reaction and adjusting their strategies accordingly. The coming weeks will reveal whether Harris’s attempt to link Trump to Project 2025 will resonate with voters or if Trump’s denials will effectively distance him from the controversial plan.