Paul Dans, original Project 2025 director, stepped down from leadership in late July 2024 after tensions with the Trump campaign. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts assumed control, continuing the project’s policy development while distancing it from direct campaign involvement.
Paul DansKevin RobertsDonald TrumpChris LaCivitaSusie Wilesproject-2025leadership-changeheritage-foundationtrump-campaignconservative-politics
Mark Zuckerberg delivers major policy speech at Georgetown University announcing that Facebook will not fact-check political advertisements, effectively licensing the Trump campaign and other political actors to spread unlimited disinformation through paid advertising on the platform. The policy …
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The Mueller Report documented at least 140 contacts between Trump and 18 associates with
Russian nationals and WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign and transition. The report found
Russian interference was “sweeping and systematic” and violated U.S. criminal law. While
establishing …
Robert MuellerDonald TrumpTrump CampaignRussian nationalsWikiLeaksmueller-investigationrussian-interferencetrump-campaignelection-2016obstruction-of-justice
On October 9, 2016, just 90 minutes before the second presidential debate in St. Louis, Donald Trump staged a surprise press conference with four women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct or been connected to the Clintons’ legal history. The event, held at the Four Seasons Hotel …
Donald TrumpPaula JonesJuanita BroaddrickKathleen WilleyKathy Shelton+2 moretrump-campaignclinton-campaignpresidential-debateelection-2016deflection-strategy+2 more
On October 7, 2016, exactly one month before the presidential election, Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold published a 2005 video recording of Donald Trump making sexually aggressive comments about women. The recording was made on an Access Hollywood bus as Trump and television host Billy …
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In the hours and days following the October 7, 2016 release of the Access Hollywood tape, dozens of Republican officials withdrew their support for Donald Trump, with many calling for him to exit the presidential race entirely. The mass defection represented the most serious internal challenge to …
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Facebook embeds staff directly in Trump campaign headquarters in San Antonio, working side-by-side with campaign staff including Cambridge Analytica to optimize Facebook advertising for voter targeting and suppression. The unprecedented corporate-political coordination provides Trump’s …
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On August 14, 2016, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau revealed a secret “black ledger” documenting $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments from Ukraine’s former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych’s party to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s campaign …
Paul ManafortViktor YanukovychOleg DeripaskaTrump CampaignUkraine National Anti-Corruption Bureaupaul-manaforttrump-campaignukrainerussiamoney-laundering+4 more
Alexander Torshin, working with Maria Butina, requested that Donald Trump meet with him on the sidelines of the National Rifle Association’s convention in Louisville, Kentucky from May 20-22, 2016. While Torshin never succeeded in meeting with then-candidate Trump himself, he did secure a …
Alexander TorshinMaria ButinaDonald Trump Jr.Donald TrumpNational Rifle Associationrussian-influencenratrump-campaignforeign-agents2016-election+2 more
During the 2016 election cycle, the National Rifle Association spent a record $30-55 million supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign—triple its 2012 spending for Mitt Romney. The unprecedented spending occurred during and after Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin’s systematic …
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National Enquirer publisher David Pecker meets with Trump, Cohen, and Hope Hicks at Trump Tower, agrees to use tabloid to catch and kill sexual affair allegations against Trump during campaign
David PeckerDonald TrumpMichael CohenHope HicksNational Enquirer/AMIcatch-and-killnational-enquirertrump-campaignmedia-manipulationkompromat+1 more