Actions taken by the Trump administration in 2025 and the policy recommendations outlined in Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership, compiled by ChatGPT using “All of the Trump Administration’s Major Moves” and “Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership,” a 900-page document compiled by dozens of Trump loyalists through the Heritage Foundation.

1. Federal Workforce Reduction

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Ordered mass firings at the Pentagon, laying off 5,400 civilian workers​.
  • Directed plans for large-scale federal workforce cuts, expanding Elon Musk’s authority over hiring decisions​.
  • Laid off thousands of employees across multiple agencies, including the IRS, Education Department, and USAID​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Advocates for reducing the size of the federal government and curbing the administrative state​.
  • Calls for appointing personnel aligned with conservative values to implement these reductions​.
  • Source: Chapter 18, Dept. of Labor and Related Agencies

2. Restructuring USAID

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Fired thousands of USAID employees and moved to dismantle the agency​.
  • Put Secretary of State Marco Rubio in charge of USAID, signaling a shift in its mission​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Criticizes USAID as an overly bureaucratic agency that should be restructured or eliminated​
  • Source: Chapter 9, Agency for International Development.

3. Rolling Back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Ordered the removal of pronouns from federal employee email signatures​.
  • Ended race-based programs in education​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for dismantling DEI programs across government institutions and schools​.
  • Source: Chapter 18, Department of Labor and Related Agencies

4. Immigration and Border Policy

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Revoked deportation protections for Venezuelans​.
  • Transported migrants to Guantánamo Bay​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Advocates for stricter border security and detention policies​.
  • Source: Chapter 5, Department of Homeland Security

5. Trade and Tariffs

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum​.
  • Announced new “reciprocal” tariffs based on foreign trade practices​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for aggressive trade policies to counter foreign economic threats​.
  • Source: Chapter 26, Trade

6. Health Policy Changes

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Blocked funds for biomedical research​.
  • Ordered the Health Department to scrutinize vaccine schedules and psychiatric medications​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for re-evaluating funding for health programs, particularly those linked to progressive policies​.
  • Source: Chapter 14, Department of Health and Human Services

7. Reshaping the Intelligence Community and Law Enforcement

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Planned a purge of FBI employees involved in January 6 investigations​.
  • Appointed a right-wing commentator as FBI deputy director​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Suggests replacing FBI and intelligence officials with personnel aligned with conservative priorities​.
  • Source: Chapter 5, Department of Homeland Security

8. Judiciary and DOJ Restructuring

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Purged FBI officials involved in January 6 investigations​.
  • Appointed a right-wing commentator as FBI deputy director​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for eliminating “politicized” officials in the FBI and DOJ, particularly those associated with previous investigations into Trump​.
  • Source: Chapter 17, Department of Justice

9. Government Overhaul and Presidential Power Expansion

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Issued an executive order expanding presidential control over independent agencies​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Proposes increasing presidential power over executive agencies, reducing the independence of institutions like the Federal Reserve and FTC​.
  • Source: Chapter 2, Executive Office of the President

10. Climate and Energy Policy

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Approved oil drilling in protected areas​.
  • Withdrew from international climate agreements​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Advocates for revoking Biden-era climate policies and reinstating Trump’s energy dominance agenda​.
  • Source: Chapter 12, Department of Energy and EPA

11. Foreign Policy and National Security

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Opposed a U.N. resolution demanding Russian withdrawal from Ukraine​.
  • Resumed high-level talks with Russia without Ukraine’s participation​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for shifting focus away from Ukraine and prioritizing U.S. interests over foreign alliances​.
  • Source: Chapter 6, Department of State

12. Education and Cultural Policies

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Issued guidance recognizing only two sexes​.
  • Threatened to cut federal funding for schools with race-based DEI programs​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Proposes rolling back gender identity policies and ending race-conscious education initiatives​.
  • Source: Chapter 11, Department of Education

13. Election and Voting Policies

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Ordered a review of election security efforts and reassigned officials involved in investigating foreign interference​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for tightening election security measures and eliminating federal oversight that could be perceived as undermining state-controlled election processes​.
  • Source: Chapter 29, Federal Election Commission

14. Defense and Military

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Ordered the Pentagon to plan 8% budget cuts over the next five years​.
  • Reinstated service members dismissed for refusing the COVID vaccine​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Advocates for a leaner, more strategically focused military with reduced bureaucracy​.
  • Calls for eliminating “woke” policies, including vaccine mandates for service members​.
  • Source: Chapter 4, Department of Defense

15. Gender and Social Policies

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Restricted gender-affirming treatments for minors​.
  • Moved toward pushing transgender individuals out of the military​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Supports policies that define gender as strictly male or female and eliminate federal support for gender-affirming medical care​.
  • Source: Chapter 14, DHHS

16.Foreign Aid and Global Engagement

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Froze foreign aid payments​.
  • Halted global mine-clearing programs​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for cutting back on foreign aid, particularly to programs it deems wasteful or contrary to U.S. interests​.
  • Source: Chapter 9, Agency for International Development

17. Government Workforce Overhaul

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Encouraged millions of federal workers to resign in exchange for continued pay​.
  • Laid off thousands of employees across multiple agencies​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for dramatically reducing the federal workforce and replacing civil servants with political appointees who align with the administration’s priorities​.
  • Source: Chapter 18, Department of Labor and Related Agencies

18.  Education Policy

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Sought to expand access to private school vouchers​.

       •.    Project 2025 Recommendation:

• Supports increasing school choice programs and promoting voucher systems as an alternative to public education​.
• Source: Chapter 11, Department of Education

19. Federal Regulatory Power

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Ordered an executive review of independent agencies, asserting presidential authority over their spending​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for curbing the power of independent federal agencies and consolidating control under the executive branch​.

20. Overhauling the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

• Trump Administration Action:
  • Issued an executive order limiting the enforcement power of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and expanding right-to-work protections​.
• Project 2025 Recommendation:
  • Calls for restructuring the NLRB to limit its authority, reduce regulatory burdens on businesses, and shift power away from unions​.
• Source: Chapter 18, Department of Labor and Related Agencies

The Impact So Far

As of February 26, 2025, the Trump administration has implemented several policies aligned with the Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership blueprint. While it’s early to fully assess their long-term impacts, initial observations indicate notable effects in various sectors:

1. Economic and Consumer Confidence

Recent data shows a significant decline in consumer confidence, with the index dropping to its lowest point in eight months. This downturn is largely attributed to concerns over potential inflationary pressures stemming from the administration’s policies, including proposed tariffs and budget cuts. Such apprehensions suggest that these economic strategies may be contributing to public uncertainty and market volatility.  reuters.com

2. Research and Development (R&D) Funding

The administration’s decision to reduce funding for federal research institutions, such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, has raised concerns about the future of American innovation. Experts warn that these cutbacks could hinder scientific progress and diminish the nation’s competitive edge in technology and healthcare sectors.  ft.com

3. Healthcare and Social Services

A narrowly passed budget proposal includes significant cuts to Medicaid, totaling approximately $800 billion. This reduction could potentially impact millions of low-income individuals who rely on Medicaid for healthcare services. Additionally, the proposal outlines $2 trillion in spending reductions over the next decade, which may affect various social programs. theguardian.com

4. Deregulation and Executive Authority

The issuance of an executive order titled “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative” aims to rescind or modify existing regulations. This move is intended to reduce bureaucratic oversight but has sparked debate over potential risks to public health, safety, and environmental protections. skadden.com

5. Public Opinion and Political Climate

Public sentiment appears divided regarding these policy changes. While a significant portion of Republican supporters express optimism about the administration’s direction, a substantial number of Democrats anticipate negative outcomes. This polarization reflects broader debates about the potential benefits and drawbacks of the current policy trajectory. pewresearch.org

In summary, the initial implementation of policies aligned with Project 2025 has led to measurable shifts in economic indicators, funding priorities, and public opinion. Ongoing analysis will be essential to fully understand the long-term consequences of these actions across various sectors.