The Denial and Deceit. Episode 1 of our Project 2025 Series.

Donald Trump repeatedly denied knowing anything about Project 2025 during his 2024 presidential campaign. But what happens when you examine the people behind the plan, their connections to Trump, and the positions they now hold in his administration? In Episode 1 of Fiercely Independent's investigation into Project 2025, we examine the evidence behind Trump's denials and uncover how a 900-page policy blueprint became far more than a collection of conservative proposals. We investigate: Trump's three public denials of knowledge about Project 2025. His documented connections to the Heritage Foundation and its leadership. The four pillars of Project 2025: policy, personnel, training, and a 180-day implementation playbook. How contributors Russell Vought, Brendan Carr, and Peter Navarro obtained influential positions in the Trump administration. Independent research reporting that 53% of the project's tracked recommendations had been initiated or completed as of February 2026. And there's a striking contradiction: Could Project 2025 be creating the very kind of government apparatus Trump routinely condemns as the "deep state"? This investigation isn't about whether Trump personally read 900 pages. It's about the people, the policies, and the documented alignment between Project 2025 and his administration. Next episode: We dig into the plan itself, who wrote it, what they intended, and how its proposals could affect everyday Americans. Subscribe to Fiercely Independent and follow our Project 2025 investigation so you don't miss an episode. Stay Fierce. Stay Independent.