'That's not true': CNN anchor presses Republicans who downplayed Project 2025 as a 'lie'
Whether the controversial Project 2025 will officially wind up on Donald Trump’s next administration’s agenda led to a confrontation between a CNN host and two Republicans who continued to defend it.
The moment came Friday during CNN’s “NewsNight” with Abby Phillip when the host asked her guests’ thoughts on Trump’s selection of Project 2025 architect Russell Vought as the next director of the Office of Management and Budget.
"They’ve been telling us that Project 2025 is not a thing – can we say now that that wasn't true? Phillip asked.
Mike Broomhead, a Phoenix conservative radio host, disagreed.
“No, I don’t know why we would say it wasn't true if the president-elect has said it's not going to be a part of my administration,” he said.
That’s when Phillip stopped her guest to note that Trump just appointed the very person who played a key role in creating Project 2025 to his administration.
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“That doesn't mean he's going to allow that person to implement that strategy,” Broomhead replied.
But Phillip didn't stop there. Just after former Trump campaign adviser David Urban followed up on Broomhead’s points while also pushing back on the incoming president’s relationship with the divisive initiative, Phillip offered her assessment.
“I just don’t think it’s a secret, that’s all," Phillip said, later adding: “The idea that it's some kind of terrible lie – Project 2025 was a blueprint for what the second Trump term will look like – that’s not true."
Urban admitted that certain aspects of Project 2025 will be implemented “for sure 100%.”
But he added: “The president didn't take the booklet, tuck it under his arm and go scamper down to Mar-a-Lago. It is not true. I talked to the president directly about this topic and he said, ‘I’ve never seen it, never read it,’ 100%.”
Phillip had the last word, telling viewers only time will tell.
“We shall see,” she said. “It'll be interesting what it takes for people to believe that Project 2025 is actually part of the plan here.”
Watch the clip below or at this link.