(NewsNation) — In the first debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, a nearly 1,000-page handbook from a conservative think tank became a means for one candidate to provoke and another to deflect.
Project 2025, written by members of The Heritage Foundation, is a guide on what the next president needs to do to undo the “damage” to America they claim has been caused by liberal politicians.
During the 90-minute debate, just like in most campaign speeches, Harris attacked Trump over the handbook, saying it “is a detailed and dangerous plan” that the former president “intends on implementing if he were elected again.”
Trump deflected the attack, arguing, “I have nothing to do with Project 2025. I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it purposely.”
Trump, Harris face off in high-stakes presidential debate
Harris warned that Trump would sign a national abortion ban, referencing Project 2025 again, and said Americans believe the freedom to make decisions about their body should not be controlled by the government.
Trump has previously disavowed the plan, claiming on his social media site that he has “no idea” who is behind Project 2025 and knows “nothing” about it, but dozens of people who worked closely with him and helped shape his administration are involved in the plan.
He’s gotten more hostile to the document and the group behind it in recent weeks, even going as far as issuing a warning to anyone linking him to the plan.
Democrats say Project 2025 is extremist, “authoritarian” and even dystopian, and the document has become a major point of attack as they warn voters that its policies will be implemented under a second Trump term.
When it comes to supporting Trump, swing-state voters are divided on the impact of Project 2025, according to a new Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey.
Voters in seven key battleground states were asked if Project 2025 makes them more or less likely to support Trump. Overall, a plurality in all states said it makes no difference or that they weren’t familiar with the plan.
However, nearly just as many respondents in each state said the conservative roadmap made them less likely to support the former president.
NewsNation’s Steph Whiteside, Safia Samee Ali and Andrew Dorn contributed to this report.
