Amid ongoing controversy and criticism from former President Trump and Democrats regarding the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, the leader of the initiative has announced his resignation. The program, also known as the Presidential Transition Project, was launched in April 2022 by Heritage as a blueprint for a future Republican administration to reshape various aspects of the U.S. government. The departure of the project's leader comes following remarks by Trump, who had denounced the program as "absolutely ridiculous and abysmal." Heritage President, Kevin Roberts, confirmed the resignation of Paul Dans, stating that the project had achieved its goal of uniting conservative organizations to craft a comprehensive vision for devolving power from the administrative state.

Roberts praised Dans for his leadership in bringing together over 110 conservative organizations to create a cohesive conservative agenda aimed at empowering the people and restructuring governmental authority. The project, which was designed to be utilized by any future administration, is set to conclude its policy drafting after the two party conventions this year. Despite the recent developments, Heritage Foundation affirms its commitment to continuing efforts to establish an effective personnel apparatus for policymakers at all levels of government.

In response to the news, the Trump campaign reiterated that Project 2025 had no affiliation with the campaign and was not representative of President Trump's interests. The campaign welcomed reports of the project's potential discontinuation, cautioning against any misrepresentation of influence with President Trump and his campaign. The departure of the project's leader marks a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny and debate surrounding Project 2025 and its implications for future political endeavors.