Paul Dans, former general director of the “Project 2025” initiative, said in a telephone interview with this newspaper on September 9, “Thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump, we have witnessed remarkable changes over the past two years.” He added, “While it’s difficult to achieve all results at once, I believe the president and the Republican Party will perform well in the November midterm elections.” Amid projections that the Democratic Party could regain its majority in the House of Representatives due to soaring energy prices caused by the prolonged Iran situation, Dans stated, “Losing the election would make policy implementation harder,” but emphasized, “The president has always demonstrated new ways to fight, so I believe he can overcome any challenges.”
“Project 2025” is a policy pledge published in 2024 by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C., ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Despite criticism that some of its content was radical, most of its proposals—such as deporting undocumented immigrants, imposing massive tariffs, abolishing the Ministry of Education, dismantling the administrative state, and eliminating DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs—became policies of the Trump administration’s second term, even after Dans, dubbed the “chief architect,” resigned midway. Key figures from the project, including Russell Vought, former director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB); Brendan Carr, former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman; and Peter Navarro, former White House trade and manufacturing advisor, are now influential figures in Trump’s second term.
Dans, a lawyer by training, served as senior advisor to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and senior counselor at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during Trump’s first term. He ran for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina this year but lost to the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The following is an edited transcript of the interview:
– How is the atmosphere 50 days before the midterm elections?
“Amazing changes are happening in the U.S. through President Trump. Look at the investments being made in America. Of course, not everything can bear fruit at once. That’s why it’s important to ensure the public clearly understands how much progress has been made in energy policy and how hard we’ve worked to make living costs manageable. While recognizing that the Iran situation has caused hardships for the people, we must also convey that we are addressing the issue far better than the Democratic Party could. If the Democrats regain power, we will return to a large government and high inflation. So-called ‘Democratic Socialists’ are gaining attention, but while they may take root in certain regions, I believe they will ultimately harm the Democratic Party as a whole.”
– Isn’t the rise in oil prices due to the Iran situation burdensome?
“People said the same thing six months ago. It’s hard to gauge the exact impact. I agree that gas prices are rising now, but there’s a strong possibility they will stabilize soon. I hope the government can resolve the Ukraine issue and find a successful compromise with Iran. At the same time, many people recognize that all of this are monumental tasks that should have been addressed decades ago. Iran may be in a far more serious situation than we know.”
– What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Trump administration over the past two years?
“The federal government is once again working for the people. By dismantling the ‘administrative state,’ we abolished the Ministry of Education and returned its authority to state governments, eliminated regulations that stifled growth, and ended the ‘war on carbon.’ Going forward, we must strengthen the deportation of undocumented immigrants. The president has sealed the border, and now we must focus on sending them back to their home countries. This is because the strain on the healthcare system, rising housing prices, and other issues are direct results of mass illegal immigration. Additionally, the Department of Justice should hold more people accountable for the ‘weaponization of justice’ that occurred under the previous administration.”
– How do you view the pressure on allies to attract large-scale investments?
“Rebuilding America’s industrial base is crucial, and this cannot be achieved without countries like South Korea and Japan. I believe the massive investments from South Korea and Japan into the U.S. are messages that need to be widely communicated to voters. Our industrial base collapsed and was largely taken over by China. It was time to recalibrate the balance with our allies in terms of fairness. While this may be burdensome for partner countries like South Korea and Japan, it’s also a process of finding a more favorable balance for everyone. Ultimately, I believe it will lead to positive outcomes for all.”
– What happens to the Trump administration if they lose the midterm elections?
“It will be harder to push policies. However, I believe the president and the Republican Party will perform much better. While the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C., will always oppose, the president has always shown new ways to fight, so I believe he can overcome any challenges. I also enjoy fighting, and the tougher the battle, the more I want to step into the ring. I am ready to support the president in any way he needs. The core message of ‘Project 2025’ was that personnel is policy. Compared to the first term, I think the personnel composition has improved significantly. Look at people like U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Isn’t he fully dedicated to the president’s vision? The same goes for other cabinet members.”
– Is it possible to regain power in 2028?
“I believe the Republican Party can hold the White House. The task of truly reshaping 21st-century America and returning to the promises of its founding cannot be achieved by a single president. While Trump has done the most, there is still more to do. There are many promising candidates, but the frontrunner is undoubtedly Vice President J.D. Vance. This year, while running for the Senate, I had a truly fantastic experience. Through conversations with residents, I realized that we must focus on educating the workforce, solving the drug addiction and abuse crisis, and reducing housing costs to help the next generation build families. Family-friendly policies are also crucial because the U.S. can only continue to prosper if birth rates increase.”
☞ Paul Dans
A lawyer by training, Dans served as senior advisor to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and senior counselor at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during Trump’s first term. He is one of Trump’s closest aides who defended and stood by the former president even after the January 6 Capitol riot. From April 2022, he served as general director of the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” which was funded with 22 million dollars, and led the development of policies for the next conservative government. He holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Virginia School of Law.
☞ Project 2025
A plan to reorganize the U.S. federal government launched in April 2022 by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy research institute. Over 100 conservative groups participated, anticipating Trump’s return to power in 2025. It is also the subtitle of the 920-page policy proposal “Conservative Promise” published in 2023.
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