Albanian General Piro Ahmetaj
While there are 90 days left from November, the political establishment, media and public opinion not only in the US but also in the capitals of the EU, NATO, Kiev, Moscow, Beijing, etc. remain focused on the US elections.
On one hand, businessman Donald Trump has returned stronger to the race for the second time, who, even after “God saved him from the assassination attempt“, has confirmed that: “all political and judicial charges against him will receive the deserved response from American citizens on the election of November 5, 2024“.
On the other hand, the Democrats’ calculation confirming Mr. Joe Biden for presidency-2, resulted in an undisputable victory for Trump. Therefore, in order to recover this defeat, it is almost confirmed that Vice President Kamala Harris will face in the next 3 months the power of Trump-2’s slogan: “for an even greater/ vital America as well as America First”, but also with her performance as Vice President in the last 4 years.
From the beginning, I must emphasize that this analysis is not in any way “to reaffirm my personal sympathy“, but to present a “food for thought“, or strategic summary about the “Trump-2025 Project”, developed by the Heritage Foundation, an US Republican “think tank” in Washington DC, which, although named “independent”, is well known for its conservative approaches as well as its ties to former President Trump.
More specifically, the Platform of Project-2025 (920 pages document), contains: “a governing agenda, not only from January 2025, but for beyond the future of the USA“. While the authors of the Platform themselves confirm that the main goal of Trump-2025 is to promote a package of right-wing policies to free the USA from the capture of state mechanisms, i.e. from the interests of underground actors (without voted), bureaucracy with collars democratic, corruption, ʺphilanthropistsʺ, etc. In other words, de-bunkerization and de-bureaucratization reforms, in order to modernize and strengthen the executive branch or the US federal government by “re-turning America back again to an invincible and undefeated superpower for centuries to come”.
While the New York Times considers it “a radical project of conservative policies”, CNN warns that the authors of this project, about 140 personalities who have also served in the Trump-1 administration: “are expected to take key positions in the Trump-2 administration“. However, Mr. Trump has firmly denied having direct ties to this project. So, on July 5, 2024, on his platform named ʺTruthʺ, he confirmed: “I know nothing about Project 2025, I have no idea who is behind it.”
In the capacity of a National and Regional Security and NATO expert as well as from unformaly consultations with colleagues and friends in Washington, I am presenting below a summary of the essential ideas, or the “5 pillars of the project or the Trump Platform – 2025“:
Pillar No. 1: The basic Trump strategy is mainly focused on strengthening the American family and the return to the conservative values of Republicanism of former president Ronald Reagan as the center of gravity of the Trump-2 Platform, to make the “US great againʺ and ʺAmerica an uncompetitive superpower for centuries to come“; centralization and modernization of the administrative state; the protection of the nation’s sovereignty, borders an USA interests; the guarantee of individual rights given by God. In his foreword, Republican Foundation President Kevin Roberts raised an alarm: “There has been a long march of cultural Marxism throughout US institutions. The federal government has turned into an armed giant against American citizens and conservative values, while human civil liberties and rights are threatened and surrounded like never before”
Although not only in appearance “a radical platform, but with the will and precondition for the widest possible consensus in order not to divide but rather to unite the Americans“. Thus, Paul Dans, among the contributors to the project, emphasizes: “systematic preparation to form a new army of conservatives, ready to face the deep captured state (deep state), that is, by the power of underground interests and non-voted actors, corruption, bureaucrats, etc. This also corresponds to Trump’s strong rhetoric, I quote: “I will fire the Marxist prosecutors who are destroying America” and “I will eradicate the deep state“, as well as he will appoint “a special prosecutor to pursue and punish the most incompetent and corrupt politicians and high officials (including the president) of the history of the United Statesʺ!
On the other hand, the project recommends the orientation of the American government and society towards Christian values and conservative balances. To achieve this goal, Russell Vought, one of the leaders of the project, suggests to introduce the principles of Christian nationalism in the government and public life, if/ after Trump wins a second term. Likewise, presidential candidate Trump told members of a Christian organization last Friday in Florida that: “if they vote for Him in November, they won’t have to vote again for four years “, a very strong statement that even though everyone understands well…, it still remains uncommented by Trump’s headquarters?!
Pillar No. 2: the significant expansion of powers, or the strengthening of the decision-making power of the US president, as well as the increase of the control of the white house over the departments of the federal government. So, let’s remember that Trump-1, since 2019, thought that the second article of the US Constitution gave him “the right to do everything executive as president“. Likewise, Heritage director Kevin Roberts argues that: “The notion of independent federal agencies that do not answer to the president undermines the very foundation of the US Republic.” Therefore, the Trump-2 Platform is suggesting to place most federal government departments under the direct control of the President: “eliminating the independence and bureaucracy of these institutions.” Specifically, it proposes the President to take over the control of the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Commerce (DC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); as well as the transformation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), etc.
The project is based on an even stricter policy (in addition to the concrete-digital wall) of border control from illegal immigration to the US. He recommends arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants living in the US, as well as proposing the use of the military to enforce the law. Stephen Miller, the well-known architect of Trump’s immigration policy, who is considered for a top post in a Trump-2 administration, confirms that the Project includes: “stopping and removing immigration offenders to the US.”
In this Project’s view, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is: “a bloated bureaucracy with a critical core of personnel driven by a radical liberal/ leftist agenda” and that has “lost the trust” of the American people. Therefore, this department must be thoroughly reformed under the supervision of the White House. Likewise, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) must be accountable to the President. Project 2025 recognizes that the death penalty is a sensitive popular issue and is committed to seriously promoting this law … including for heinous crimes such as pedophilia, which will be left up to individual US states.
The project recommends radical reforms of the State Department: “all employees in leading roles in DoS must be dismissed by the end of January 20, 2025“! Kiron Skinner, who wrote the DoS chapter of the Project (she ran DoS policy planning office for about 1 year during the Trump administration 1), considers most of DoS staff a far left-wing staff and recommends that they be replaced by those most loyal to a conservative president. So, the “independent” project is in line with Trump’s plans to lay off thousands of government workers by bringing back “Program F”, which Trump put in an executive order in October 2020 and Biden canceled in January 2021.
Pillar No. 3. One of the strongest points of the project is a significant economic reform. As a businessman, Trump remains critical of the Federal Reserve and proposes its abolition. The draft envisages as a radical solution: “the transition from an income tax to a consumption tax, such as the national sales tax”.
Also, he recommends the simplification of individual income taxes to two flat tax rates from: “15% of income up to the social security wage base, and 30% of income above that. To reduce the corporate tax rate from 21% to 18%, calling it “the most damaging tax” for the country, reduce the capital gains rate to 15% from the current/2024 level of 20%, for businesses with high profit, while proudly recalling that Trump-1 lowered the rate from 35% to 21%“.
Pillar No. 4: Education, Health, climate protection, media etc., are also undergoing deep reforms. Dissolution of the Department of Education (DoE), whose programs will either be transferred to other agencies or discontinued. Education will be left to the 52 US States/ Governments to select programs and federal standards, while scientific research will undergo comprehensive reform to dominate the coming millennia.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be reformed along conservative lines. The law seeks to significantly cut funding for “Medicare and Medicaid” programs. He also proposes decriminalizing pornography, removing legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and closing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs by forcing the Justice Department to prosecute “anti-white racism,” etc.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): “will become the Department of Life.” In 2022, in Dobbs vs Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not grant a right to abortion, leaving it up to states to create legislation. On this basis, the Project encourages the next president to “enact stronger protections for new births“, although it does not promote an absolute ban on abortion, but it supports the prevention of teenage pregnancy.
The project advises that in the event of victory in the elections, the Republican president Trump-2, should go further than simply canceling President Biden’s executive orders on climate change. He proposes abandoning strategies, including repealing the laws of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which he considers: “the main drivers of the alarm to climate change industry.”
Project Trump-2 accuses social networks, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, of endangering the mental health and social connections of young Americans by creating a form of addiction: “Federal policy cannot allow them to continue,” which are also “as a machine/ weapon of disinformation as well as espionage against American security and national interests“.
Pillar No. 5: All decisions related to foreign policy must give priority No. 1 to national interests or as “America First”, clearly stating that “America is an uncontested superpower and the interests of Americans are inviolable.” Transformation of the Pentagon and the main security institutions to reduce the bureaucracy and increase the US military power/ capabilities will be key to the defense reforms for the protection of American sovereignty and interests. The modernization programs of the armed forces in general and specific capabilities of space, cyber, artificial intelligence attached to them, will rank the US many centuries ahead of every other state.
Substantial restructuring and reduction of administrative/bureaucratic costs of the UN. While beyond the semi-contexts: “an unbeatable USA, a stronger NATO and EU, and an even safer world, remain the strong approach of the Trump-1/2 project“. Anyway, it has been accepted, that thanks to his much talked about threat: “countries that do not respect these quotas (2%) will not be protected by NATO“. It is now true that, we have (from 2017) 23 member countries increasing the military spending to 2 % of GDP (2024), out of 5 current members still under this level. We have also the EU having a €500 billion increase in defense spending. On the other hand, Trump has publicly repeated that: “if I were President (not Harris), Putin, who knows very well my determination, would not have undertaken this nonsense in February 2022“, while guaranteeing that: “Trump-2 would end the war against Ukraine in 24 hours…”!
Thus, “there are strong solutions” for stopping the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, Israel’s confrontation with States and Terrorist Organizations (Hamas, Hezbollah), while as for peace in the Balkans, the peace will be “imposed” by the implementation of the already written agreement in the oval room, between Serbia and Kosovo during the Trump-1 administration (September 2020).
Kiron Skinner, who wrote the chapter of State Department, considers China a serious threat to the US and he is critical of any reconciliation agreement with China. The project also expresses concern about Chinese theft of intellectual property and accuses “Big-Tech” of acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party to undermine the US. Preventing of Chinese investment in the US will be encouraged, and companies seeking to invest in sensitive sectors in China will face restrictions up to and including license revocation.
In summary, beyond the electoral noise about the conservative Trump/2 Project: “whether or not there is a connection with Trump and this Foundation“, we can safely say: “this project as well as this analysis are based on the assumption that Trump wins the election of November 5, 2024“!
In addition, to remain honest with the reader and thousands of followers (including respect for critics as well), I can confirm that, as the author of this analysis, despite the strained effort to see this Platform (Trump-2) as impartial (I remember that I had the privilege of being invited and a participant in the ceremony of President Trump-1, January 2017), I cannot deny the high regard I have for the strong conservative approach, statesmanship courage, exemplary determination of President Trump-1, as well as the hope that Trump-2 will bring not only for the USA, in the confrontation with the deep state captured by the underground (non-voting) establishment, the interests of ʺphilanthropistsʺ, corruption, bureaucratic democracy, etc.
Beyond the above analysis, I am also presenting “three strategic messages” that we as Albanian can draw from Project-Trump/2, in relation to the Region, Kosovo, national interests as well as the Euro-Atlantic future of Republic of Albania:
First, repeating the gratitude for the decisive support that the US has given to our nation for: “recognizing the independence of Albania 112 years ago; the liberation of Kosovo 25 years ago; Albanian membership in NATO in 2009, etc., the “Trump Agreement – 2020” signed by the two sovereign countries (Kosovo-Serbia) in the oval room of white house, i.e. under the personal care of President Trump-1: “strategic investment packages, Belgrade-Pristina peace highway; A regional port somewhere in the deep waters of the Adriatic, as well as the “icing on the cake”, Israel’s recognition of Kosovo, etc. Having said this, I remain confident that this agreement, until the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, will be “imposed by Trump-2”, despite the recycling of the oscillations of Millosević and others moderated bollshevic’s , not only in Belgrade…
Second, apart from E. Hoxha’s regime, which for 45 years shamelessly treated the USA as: “world hangman and the enemy of the Albanians“, I hope that, as in the 33 years we have left behind, either under Trump-2 or Mrs. Harris administration, all the moderate Bolsheviks in Tirana will shamefully fail to sell to Albanians as a support from the US the power of superpower, photos with the Presidents, visits of dignitaries, US/ NATO exercises, economic support/ projects, the fight for the seal of the official opposition party etc.,. The opposite is true, all the US presidents (including Trump) during all 112 years: “have been and remain only with the side of Albanians, as well as with the US geopolitical interests in the region and Mediterranean”.
Third, considering the context of the Trump-2 project, I have a strong belief that Albania has also a vital necessity that after 80 years shall return to the conservative right-wing model or approach, based on: “Family, Fatherland, God, Freedom, Vote, Property, Free Market, dignity, National Interests, democratic balance of powers as well as orientation towards Euro-Atlantic values“.
Also, I remain hopefully that beyond the patronage or militants of the current party in power or kamikazes for the seat within the list of the facade opposition party, Albanians will re-unite around the noble mission of 1991: “for a democratic Albania, likewise the US and all of Europe“, even for the frustration suffered from all tyrannical politicians, rogue statesmen, global philanthropists and omnipotent realtors who have conquered the right for the last 33 years and rule our blessed nation and beautiful Albania with “democratic collars and “.
Author: General ® Piro Ahmetaj:
Senior Expert for National, Regional and NATO Security Matters; Vice President of Atlantic Council; and also former: NSA to Democratic Party of Albania; Defense Adviser to the President, DCHOD and Albanian NMR to SHAPE/NATO.
