Project 2025 videos reveal plan to fill civil service with loyal Republicans

Leaked training videos confirm how those behind Project 2025, a controversial rightwing plan for the next Republican presidency, are gearing up for a major effort to replace non-partisan civil servants with conservative loyalists.

- Anna Betts

The leaks also confirm that the project is being led by many former Trump administration officials.

The videos, created for Project 2025's "presidential administration academy" and published by ProPublica and Documented, expose part of the Heritage Foundation thinktank's plan to recruit and train political appointees on behalf of a future conservative administration.

A major aim of Project 2025 along with its controversial policy proposals is to replace thousands of government employees, most of whom work in career positions for administrations of both colours, with partisan Republican loyalists.

Of the videos' 36 featured speakers, 29 previously worked for former US president Donald Trump.

The videos appear to have been recorded before the resignation of the group's director two weeks ago, reportedly due to "pressure from Trump campaign leadership".

Trump has recently tried to distance himself from Project 2025 amid intense criticism and backlash regarding the group's extreme policy proposals. The plans include eliminating the education department, cutting environmental protections and reducing LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights.