Former President Trump’s allies are pre-screening the ideologies of thousands of potentialfoot soldiers, as part of an unprecedented operation to centralize and expand his power at every level of the U.S. government if he wins in 2024, officials involved in the effort tell Axios.
Why it matters: Hundreds of people are spending tens of millions of dollars to install a pre-vetted, pro-Trump army of up to 54,000 loyalists across government to rip off the restraints imposed on the previous 46 presidents.
The screening for ready-to-serve loyalists has already begun, driven in part by artificial intelligence from tech giant Oracle, contracted for the project.
Social media histories are already being plumbed.
What’s happening: When Trump took office in 2017, he included many conventional Republicans in his Cabinet and key positions. Those officials often curtailed his behavior and power.
Trump himself spends little time plotting governing plans. But he is well aware of a highly coordinated campaign to be ready to jam government offices with loyalists willing to stretch traditional boundaries.
If Trump were to win, thousands of Trump-first loyalists would be ready for legal, judicial, defense, regulatory and domestic policy jobs. His inner circle plans to purge anyone viewed as hostile to the hard-edged, authoritarian-sounding plans he calls “Agenda 47.”
The people leading these efforts aren’t figures like Rudy Giuliani. They’re smart, experienced people, many with very unconventional and elastic views of presidential power and traditional rule of law.
Behind the scenes: The government-in-waiting is being orchestrated by the Heritage Foundation’s well-funded Project 2025, which already has published a 920-page policy book from 400+ contributors. Think of it as a transition team set in motion years in advance.
Heritage president Kevin Roberts tells us his apparatus is “orders of magnitude” bigger than anything ever assembled for a party out of power.
The policy series, “Mandate for Leadership,” dates back to the 1980s. But Paul Dans, director of Project 2025, told us: “Never before has the entire movement … banded together to construct a comprehensive plan to deconstruct the out-of-touch and weaponized administrative state.”
Trump insiders relish rebuilding the team with purists. But the truth is, they have no choice: Many more-traditional Republicans quit the first administration in frustration or were fired by tweet. And some former advisers are talking to prosecutors or are charged with crimes.
The Trump campaign tells us no outside group speaks for him: “The campaign’s Agenda47 is the only official comprehensive and detailed look at what President Trump will do when he returns to the White House. … While the campaign is appreciative of any effort to provide suggestions about a second term, the campaign is not collaborating with them.”
Questions for Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 applicants. Screenshot via Project 2025 website
How it works: The most elaborate part of the pre-transition machine is a résumé-collection project that drills down more on political philosophy than on experience, education or other credentials.
Applicants are asked to “name one person, past or present, who has most influenced the development of your political philosophy” — and to do the same with a book.
Another query: “Name one living public policy figure whom you greatly admire and why.”
We’re told immense, intense attention will be given to the social-media histories of anyone being considered for top jobs. Those queasy about testing the limits of Trump’s power will get flagged and rejected.
Reality check: Technically, this apparatus will be inherited by any Republican nominee — Heritage officials tell us they’ve briefed the campaigns of Trump, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley.
But this is undeniably a Trump-driven operation. The biggest tell: Johnny McEntee — one of Trump’s closest White House aides, and his most fervent internal loyalty enforcer — is a senior adviser to Project 2025.
One of the most powerful architects is Stephen Miller, a top West Wing adviser for the Trump administration. Miller is charting an even harder line on legal and immigration policy than last time. While he maps a White House return, he’s president of America First Legal, which vows to fight “lawless executive actions and the Radical Left.”
Between the lines: Trump doesn’t hide his intentions. It’s important to tune out the theatrical language that drives social media and cable TV, and focus intently on the directional guidance of his second term.
He’s telling us exactly what he intends to do — like it or loathe it. And this time, he’ll have prefabbed institutional muscle to turn pugilistic words into policies and action from the get-go.
Here’s what the early days of a second Trump presidency would look like, based on his words and our conversations with Trump insiders:
His top obsession will be the Justice Department, the FBI and the intelligence community — all of which he thinks conspired to investigate him, thwart him, screw him. He’s been very clear that he’s willing to unleash these agencies against political enemies.
The next priority will be the Department of Homeland Security and the border, with plans to erect sprawling detention camps, “scour the country for unauthorized immigrants,” and “deport people by the millions per year,” The New York Times reports. We’re told Trump’s top criterion for immigration officials will be whoever promises to be most aggressive. Trump has told allies he’s confident the Supreme Court will back his most draconian moves.
As first reported by Jonathan Swan for Axios last year, a key tool for Trump’s “revenge term” would be the use of Schedule F personnel powers to wipe out employment protections for tens of thousands of civil servants across the federal government. Trump allies want a deep and wide purge of the professional staff that often serves across new administrations.
Officials close to the Pentagon tell us they’re worried about a plan, articulated by former Trump official Russ Vought in the Heritage document, to direct the National Security Council to “rigorously review all general and flag officer promotions to prioritize the core roles and responsibilities of the military over social engineering and non-defense related matters, including climate change, critical race theory [and] manufactured extremism.” Indeed, the Trump allies see obstacles to remove at every level of every agency.
The bottom line: This Trump-allied machine has the most power over the formation of a potential future government of any group in U.S. history. Trump, if elected, will leverage it to do things with government that none of us has seen in our lifetime.
“Behind the Curtain” is a column by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and co-founder Mike Allen, based on regular conversations with White House and congressional leaders, CEOs and top technologists.
Read the full article. Rep. Jennifer Gross, you may recall, is the nutbag who invited a freak show anti-vaxxer to testify how the COVID vaccine makes humans literally magnetic. That doctor has since lost her license.
State Rep. Jennifer Gross has asked legislative researchers to draft the "Issue 1 Implementation Act."
It would give the Ohio General Assembly "exclusive authority over implementing" Issue 1, and make it an impeachable offense for any judge to rule on or attempt to enforce it.
now, now, Republicans ONLY hate democracy when they don’t get their way. Otherwise, they will tell you how much they love democracy. and motherhood. and the flag. and white Norwegian Jesus (not that awful Communist dark-skinned one).
The original plan was to prevent the measure from being ratified. I think this is a hastily arranged Hail Mary play because they honestly thought their plan A would work.
I guess they didn’t read the room. The Republican strategy going forward seems to be: ignore the voters. I hope voters continue to make it clear that we will not be ignored.
I’d argue that voters in a state like Ohio are sending mixed messages. They’ll vote for GQP en masse even though they’re also willing to vote against what they stand for (voter suppression, anti-choice, etc.). What will it take for them to understand the big picture?
That’s true. They sent a clear message on abortion, however. I’m hoping that the voters who overwhelmingly supported abortion rights will remember why they needed to make that vote come 2024 election time. I think efforts to defy the voters on this will be a continuing wake-up call though I never underestimate voters’ ability to cast ballots against their own interests.
I honestly hope there will be anti-contraceptives (or pro-contraceptives) Constitutional amendment ballots in every single state in 2024. Having any measure that will threaten the free agency of anyone in this manner will ABSOLUTELY get people to the polls and vote against the Republican and MAGA-oriented religious extremists. I would expect any such measure to actually bring out even more individuals than any post-Hobbs measure related to abortion or reproductive choice. Of course, the religious kooks will come out of the woodwork, but they always do — by their church vans and busloads. Imagine how many potentially otherwise-reluctant voters would now be motivated to vote for something they are most passionate and potentially be directly impacted by. The MAGA-mental politicians would be, there and then, fucked.
Some groups are saying ignore these extremists. I warn against doing that. Seriously we have seen what happens we these people are not take seriously and are not challenged. They win and try to b e even more extreme in forcing their views on everyone. Remember republicans like this, Christian fascist, want to rule you, dictate to you what you will do and how you live. The “experts” say republicans wouldn’t disrespect the will of the people … where have they been living. Remember January 6th 2021? Hugs. Scottie
‘They should not be taken seriously,’ a law professor says. ‘These are symbolic or performative proposals.’
Ohio State Rep. Jennifer Gross, R-West Chester. Photo by WEWS.
The decisive legalization and protection of abortion and other reproductive care access in Ohio has infuriated some fringe Ohio Republican lawmakers — so much so that they are threatening to alter the democratic process in their favor.
Issue 1, the proposal to enshrine abortion access into the state constitution, passed 57-43% on election night. Despite this large victory, Statehouse Republicans have been mulling over ways to combat it.
State Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) is seemingly leading this fight with other far-right representatives Bill Dean (R-Xenia), Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) and Beth Lear (R-Galena). The quartet is described by other Republicans as being on the extreme end of their caucus due to anti-vaccine beliefs, peddling of conspiracy theories, and disapproval of equal protection for the LGBTQ+ community.
Instead of having judges and justices do their job by evaluating abortion issues, the lawmakers want to strip them of their duties due to perceived “mischief by pro-abortion courts,” they said in a news release published on the website for Ohio House Republicans.
“The Ohio legislature alone will consider what, if any, modifications to make to existing laws based on public hearings and input from legal experts on both sides,” the press release said.
An initial draft of the legislation was first reported by The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com and then sent to WEWS/OCJ by a Republican in the House.
“The Ohio General Assembly shall have the exclusive authority over implementing Ohio Issue 1,” the draft says. “All jurisdiction is hereby withdrawn from and denied to the Courts of Common Pleas and all other courts of the State of Ohio.”
The draft legislation would also “immediately dismiss” all lawsuits or claims in court and would “vacate” all decisions made by a court, the draft continues. Being found guilty of this could lead to a misdemeanor, which would make it an impeachable offense.
Despite no evidence indicating any election fraud, Gross referenced “foreign election interference” as the reason why Issue 1 passed.
Lear took a different approach, saying the constitutional amendment isn’t valid.
“No amendment can overturn the God-given rights with which we were born,” Lear said.
Numerous nonpartisan constitutional legal experts agree this is not a serious argument. Case Western Reserve University law professor Jonathan Entin explained why.
“Whatever authority the legislature might have to tinker with the jurisdiction of the state courts, it cannot eviscerate a rights-granting provision of the state constitution,” Entin said, citing Article I, Section 16 of the Ohio Constitution.
Even if the lawmakers were to pass this type of legislation, it would have to go through the people they are trying to take power away from. Entin expects the courts would strike it down.
“They should not be taken seriously,” the professor said. “These are symbolic or performative proposals.”
More than anything else, this is “dangerous,” Entin said.
Constitutional law expert Steven Steinglas scolded the lawmakers.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” Steinglas said. “I know we’re talking respectfully about the Ohio General Assembly, but saner minds will, I am sure, prevail.”
This would violate the new constitutional amendment, principles of separation of power, principles of due process and equal protection, he added.
They are proposing that judges doing their job could become an impeachable offense for judges and justices, Steinglas said.
Although this is supposedly geared toward judges who lean left, the result of this proposal could impact every judge. If a conservative judge was to uphold the state constitution, they could lose their job.
Former Republican Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer, who is currently executive director of the Ohio Judicial Conference, told WEWS/OCJ this may be insulting to judges if any proposal taking away power was an actual threat.
“If one took it seriously, you might find it insulting,” Pfeifer laughed. “I don’t take it seriously, and therefore I don’t find it insulting.”
The real issue isn’t Issue 1 passing, it is what these members and other GOP lawmakers are doing by denying the will of the people, he said.
“We’re less than a week after the public decided an important constitutional issue — decisively — and that really should be the end of the matter now,” he added. “We’re not well-served as citizens of this state to try and to stir up emotions just for the sake of stirring something up.”
Pfeifer doesn’t think it’s worthy enough cause to talk about realistically, since it’s unconstitutional and clearly judges won’t support it.
Although Gov. Mike DeWine is anti-abortion, he said the will of the people must be accepted. That acceptance did come with some vague caveats, though.
About a dozen Statehouse Republicans of varying degrees of anti-abortion belief told WEWS/OCJ that this would never happen. Democrats, on the other hand, are flabbergasted by the gall of their colleagues.
“Extreme politicians’ delusions of absolute power threaten the very fabric of American democracy and the individual freedom and liberty of citizens,” House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Dublin) said in response.
Democratic representatives have introduced legislation to repeal numerous restrictions in state law to abortion access. It is unlikely that the Republicans in the statehouse will pass this bill.
“We will do everything in our power to prevent our laws from being removed based upon perception of intent,” the letter states.
The lawmakers plan to challenge Issue 1 in court. However, there doesn’t seem to be much the GOP can do legally.
“Instead of creating a constitutional crisis with desperate, anti-American attacks on the rule of law and the power of citizens, out-of-touch politicians should work to uphold the bipartisan will of the people by respecting health care decisions between women and their doctors,” Russo said.
This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.
Florida’s trend of experiencing population increases year over year is coming to an end as the state now sees a mass exodus of people fleeing the state. The main culprit is the lack of insurance companies that are willing to provide policies to homeowners in the state, leaving the hurricane-prone residents without a way to protect their property. Governor Ron DeSantis has done nothing to address this crisis as he continues his failing bid to become president. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains what’s happening.
Beau talks about how polls are done and used to sway people even if the group doing them is trying to be useful, spread the poll only if it helps us. He says that polling has become wish casting. Very interesting video of behind the scenes actions by republican politicians. Hugs
People have woken up to the fundamentalist Christian right take over. When these people first stormed the school boards and town councils they claimed they represented the people, the community and everyone was fed up with the liberal woke modern age. They claimed everyone wanted to return to 1950 strict gender roles and stereotypes. Now their lies are being exposed. Only they wanted that, and they are a small minority that do not represent their communities or the will of the people. Still, it looks like one of the hyper religious sleeper candidates did get elected, but not enough of them to take over the board. Keep up the good work of keeping fundamentalist from taking over the country as a Christian Taliban. Hugs. Scottie
Preliminary results from Tuesday’s election shows Childs’ ‘traditional side’ platform failed to sway enough voters to his cause
Matthew Childs, who campaigned on a conservative stance, lost his bid for a school board seat. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)
TOPEKA — St. Marys Mayor Matthew Childs, who previously attempted to ban LGBTQ books from the city’s public library, lost on his school board bid.
Tuesday’s election saw several candidates from the religion-dominated area attempt to win school board seats on the USD 321 Kaw Valley School Board.
The district, which oversees Rossville and St. Marys public schools, spreads across several counties. Election officials in Shawnee, Pottawatomie and Jackson counties worked together to calculate the final results for the board’s open seats, leading to some initial confusion over the final results.
Elias Espinoza and Jodi Porter were elected to the board. Porter, up against Childs, won the position with 53% of the vote to Childs’ 47%, garnering 1,425 votes to Childs’ 1,281 votes. Childs did not immediately respond to Reflector inquiries.
All of the November election results are unofficial until a final canvass on Nov. 14.
“We are in a culture war which is increasingly threatening the welfare of children especially,” Childs said in a September candidate profile by the Times of Pottawatomie County. “I am unapologetically on the ‘conservative’ or traditional side of this war. Along with many like-minded parents, I am morally obligated to defend our children from physical and moral harm insofar as I can.”
Childs is part of the St. Marys’ governing body, a five-person city commission, and a heavily religious group that attends the Society of St. Pius X, or SSPX. SSPX is a strict religious sect that broke away from the Catholic church. Commissioners have previously said their views and governing decisions are influenced by their religious affiliation.
Childs is perhaps best known for formulating a “morals clause” for the city’s public library lease. The clause asked that the library not carry, encourage or accept any sexual, racial or “socially divisive” material that supported critical race theory or LGBTQ people.
Though the library was allowed to continue operating in their location following massive public outcry, Childs has continued to speak against LGBTQ material in the library.
“We don’t want transgender books in the library. … The elephant in the room is that we don’t want the library to be promoting certain types of material,” Childs said in a July commission meeting.
Porter campaigned on teacher recruitment and keeping cell phones out of the classroom setting.
“I want all those looking for teaching positions to have a desire to come here,” Porter said in her candidate profile.
Preliminary results show Espinoza won against his opponent school board member Adrienne Olejnik, with 1,258 to 1,153 votes respectively. Reflector attempts to contact Espinoza were unsuccessful, but Espinoza is thought to have SSPX connections. A flyer for the St. Marys Academy and College lists him as a point of contact. Olejnik declined to comment publicly on the race.
Espinoza and Childs were endorsed by the Kansans for Life PAC, which sent out mailers in favor of the two ahead of the election. The mailers alleged Olejnik had donated to “leftist causes” and that Olejnik would not “take a stand against drag queen story hours.”
Incumbent candidates Michelle Martin and Kimberly Gillum returned to their board seats unopposed.
Scottie's Playtime 