Tangle Podcast Summary

Episode: PREVIEW: The Friday Edition - Following up on Project 2025
Host: Isaac Saul
Guests/Co-hosts: Russell Nystrom, John Lowell
Date: February 13, 2026

Overview of the Episode

This episode revisits Project 2025, a major conservative policy proposal developed by the Heritage Foundation and widely discussed in the run-up to and after the 2024 election. With Donald Trump’s second term underway, the Tangle team—led by Isaac Saul and policy researcher Russell Nystrom—follows up on their prediction (from their earlier Project 2025 explainer) regarding whether the Trump administration would implement, abandon, or modify the project's controversial policy recommendations. The episode provides a clear breakdown of what’s been enacted, what hasn’t, and why, along with in-depth context on the connections between Project 2025 and current administration officials.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Project 2025 – Refresher and Context

• Definition: Project 2025 is a policy blueprint for the next Republican president, most notably outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise," a 30-chapter volume.

• Core Components:

  • Written policy proposals
  • Database of potential personnel
  • Presidential Administration Academy (training for appointees)
  • Playbook for the first 180 days

• Notable Quote:
  “Project 2025 was a proposal for how the next Republican president should navigate the administrative state when they take office.”
  — Russell Nystrom, 04:44

• Project Leaders Involved in Trump’s Administration:

  • Russell Vought: Now Director of the Office of Management and Budget, instrumental in OMB-focused chapters, driving workforce cuts and agency wind-downs.
  • Peter Navarro: Senior counselor for trade/manufacturing, authored the fair trade chapter, and a key force behind Trump’s tariffs.
  • Brendan Carr: FCC commissioner, advocated for Big Tech regulation and played a public role in headline-grabbing FCC decisions.

• Important Contributors Holding Government Roles:
  Names such as Paul Atkins (SEC), Steve Bradbury (Dept. of Transportation), Elbridge Colby (Defense), and others now hold key positions, further entwining Project 2025 with administration policy (06:45–08:40).

2. Policies Implemented or Pursued by Trump Aligned with Project 2025

[Timestamp: 08:50–16:50]

• Executive-Legislative Branch Alignment:

  • DOJ directed to align litigation decisions with presidential policy.
    • “On June 11th...directing the civil division of the DOJ to use its authority to advance the administration’s policy objectives.”
      — Russell Nystrom, 09:50
  • DOJ actions against political adversaries noted, with some indictments dismissed.

• Civil Service ‘Schedule F’ Reinstatement:

  • Reclassification of federal workers to at-will “Policy Career” positions, expected to impact around 50,000 employees.
    • “On his first day back in office, Trump did just that.”
      — Russell Nystrom, 10:28

• Trade Reform and Tariffs:

  • National emergency declaration to enable “Liberation Day” tariffs, but Supreme Court may limit these powers soon (12:12).

• Dismantling DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity) Initiatives:

  • Rescinding longstanding executive orders, slashing budgets for offices overseeing civil rights compliance, repealing the White House Gender Policy Council.

• Climate Policy Changes:

  • EPA directed to rescind the “endangerment finding,” which was a basis for regulating greenhouse gases; this move was finalized in early 2026 (13:50).

• School Vouchers / Private Choice:

  • Launch of the first federally funded private school choice/voucher program.

• Census Citizenship Question:

  • Administration testing inclusion of a citizenship question for the 2030 Census.

• Abortion Policy Adjustments:

  • HHS suspended and then restored Title X funding for certain abortion providers; VA no longer offers abortion; FDA reviewing mifepristone rules.

Notable Moments/Quotes:

• “Trump’s Agenda and Project 2025’s are not the same, as evidenced by the differences in the agendas Trump has endorsed and the one project put forward.”
  — Isaac Saul, 03:27

• “After recent budget negotiations, the program will receive $101 million next year.” (on DEI office funding)
  — Russell Nystrom, 13:10

3. Project 2025 Policies Not Implemented (Yet) or Deviated From

[Timestamp: 18:09–23:45]

• Abortion Policy:

  • Despite Project 2025’s push for tougher restrictions and enforcement (e.g., Comstock Act), Trump and DOJ have not fully implemented these laws and have shown flexibility over permanently codifying restrictions like the Hyde Amendment.

  • “President Trump has not pushed Congress on the Hyde and Weldon Amendments permanent codification, and in January he even suggested that Republicans should become flexible on Hyde in order to pass a funding deal.”
    — Russell Nystrom, 20:37

• Childcare Funding:

  • Project recommended home-based (not universal daycare) support; the administration has begun to change some payment rules, but at-home care is not yet prioritized.

• Social Media Bans:

  • Despite legislative pressure, TikTok and WeChat bans have been delayed; alternatives considered.

• Entitlement Reform:

  • While the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" introduced work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP, other larger structural reforms recommended by Project 2025 remain unaddressed.

• Competition with Other Think Tanks:

  • Trump’s administration doesn’t rely solely on Project 2025—the policy landscape includes a patchwork of ideas from various conservative organizations (23:46).

Notable Moment:

• “Project 2025 was not the only think tank or advocacy group that Trump’s second administration has pulled from.”
  — Russell Nystrom, 23:46

4. Memorable Quotes and Moments

• “Trump is lying when he says he knows nothing about Project 2025 and doesn’t know any of the people involved. He has deep connections to its organizers...”
  — Isaac Saul (quoting previous Tangle reporting), 03:07

• “On Trump’s first full day in office, he rescinded the 1965 executive order that the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs was designed to enforce.”
  — Russell Nystrom, 13:00

• “Which jobs will be reclassified is currently unclear, but estimates suggest about 50,000 employees could be affected.”
  — Russell Nystrom, 11:07

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:02–04:44] – Introduction and historical context for Project 2025
• [04:44–11:07] – Key figures, project structure, administration appointees connected to Project 2025
• [12:12–16:54] – Policy implementations (tariffs, DEI, abortion, climate, vouchers, census)
• [18:09–23:45] – Project policies not fully enacted (abortion, child care, social media, entitlement reforms)

Conclusion

This episode offers a thorough, objective follow-up on Project 2025’s influence, highlighting that while Trump’s administration has enacted or pursued many Project 2025 recommendations—especially where they align with his own priorities—there are significant areas where proposals have stalled, been modified, or faced legal/political roadblocks. The Tangle team underlines the complexity of translating think tank blueprints into actual policy, noting the divergence between Project 2025’s maximalist vision and what has ultimately been feasible or politically desirable in a second Trump term.

For more in-depth political analysis and cross-partisan perspectives, listeners are encouraged to read the Tangle newsletter at readtangle.com.