leadership in the army essay

Foundations of Army Leadership BLC Essay

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Leadership is significant for every organization, and the Army is not an exception. It is so because leaders are responsible for addressing the existing challenges and achieving the stipulated goals. These people also provide mentorship to younger and less experienced individuals, contributing to their better adaptation. The phenomenon under analysis is complicated since it consists of and draws attention to many issues. Thus, this paper examines the foundation of Army leadership, focusing on its levels and leaders’ characteristic features.

To begin with, one should define the concept under consideration. According to the US Department of the Army (2019), leadership denotes an activity to make people accomplish the mission. Such a broad definition does not mean that the Army does not need the issue. This phenomenon is essential for the organization because it unifies its warfighting abilities. Leadership also motivates and inspires people to make them achieve the desired outcomes. It is necessary to mention that the Army has three levels of leadership.

Various leadership levels are required to ensure that all soldiers and officers understand the organization’s expectations. According to the US Department of the Army (2019), there are direct, organizational, and strategic leadership levels. Firstly, direct leadership occurs during face-to-face contact between leaders and their subordinates. Secondly, the US Department of the Army (2019, 1-23) states that “organizational leaders exercise leadership through subordinate leaders.” Thirdly, a strategic level involves civilian and military leaders who determine the development of the Army. Even though strategic leadership seems to address more significant issues, one should not underestimate the importance of lower levels.

There is no doubt that the foundation of Army leadership begins in its smallest elements. Coleman Jr. (2011) admits that leadership comes from the team, section, and squad. It is so because young soldiers who require supervision spend much time in these structural units. Consequently, team, section, and squad officers should draw specific attention to provide them with the required assistance. This state of affairs makes these low-ranking officials apply leadership principles to cope with the task. Furthermore, one should state that not every person who makes others achieve the desired outcome is an Army leader. One should emphasize that Army leaders should have specific qualities and meet particular requirements, which will be described below.

Firstly, it is worth emphasizing that a person’s character has an impact on how they lead. It means that leaders should have particular moral qualities to affect and inspire their subordinates. That is why the US Department of the Army (2019) lists specific characteristic features that successful leaders should have. They include Army values, empathy, two types of ethos, discipline, and humility. These issues demonstrate that leaders should meet multiple requirements to succeed in their activity. For example, these individuals should be loyal, understand others’ emotions, express obedience toward fulfilling lawful orders, and so on. However, the character is not the only phenomenon that an effective leader should have to affect subordinates efficiently.

Secondly, presence plays a significant role in how effective a leader is. This phenomenon explains that leaders are successful and influential if their subordinates perceive them as having such traits. It means that individuals should invest in developing their presence in the Army. One should explain that presence does not only mean that a person should be seen. The given issue stipulates that leaders should bring qualitative changes to the organization. Army leaders have multiple variants to show that they meet this criterion. For example, it refers to demonstrating competence, having sound health, projecting self-confidence, recovering from stressful situations quickly, and others. In addition to that, it is not reasonable to forget about leaders’ mental capabilities.

Thirdly, the Army draws specific attention to leaders’ intellect that relies on knowledge and brainpower. People have different intelligence levels, meaning that some of them can show better results in this area. That is why various people can be leaders of different quality. One should explain that leaders’ intellect is a complex phenomenon. According to the US Department of the Army (2019), it includes mental agility, innovation, sound judgement, expertise, and interpersonal tact. These competencies are significant because they allow individuals to adapt to changing conditions, form sound opinions, and many others. This information means that those Army leaders who have decent intellectual abilities tend to succeed in leading and motivating others.

In conclusion, the essay has demonstrated that leadership is of significance for the Army. Through motivation, this phenomenon ensures that all military personnel aims at achieving shared goals. It is worth mentioning that three leadership levels explain how thoughts move from leaders to their subordinates. Furthermore, it has been mentioned that successful Army leaders should bear specific qualities and meet particular requirements. The idea is that character, presence, and intellect are of significance for the Army. These three phenomena are essential since they ensure that leaders can influence others and cope with the existing challenges. Consequently, the foundation of Army leadership is a significant issue that includes many fundamental aspects.

Coleman Jr., Arthur L. 2011. “Team, Squad, Section Leaders: Foundation of Army.” Fort Hood Sentinel. Web.

United States of America Department of the Army. 2019. “ADP 6-22. Army Leadership and the Profession.” Web.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Effective Leadership — The Foundation of Army Leadership

The Foundation of Army Leadership

• Categories: Army Values Effective Leadership

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Words: 457 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 457 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Values of army leadership, attributes of army leadership, skills of army leadership.

• Burgess, J. P. (2019). The Foundation of Army Leadership. Military Review, 99(2), 16-19.
• Department of the Army. (2019). Army Doctrine Publication 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession.
• Taylor, M. C. (2018). Developing Leaders for Dynamic Environments: An Army Leadership Framework. Military Review, 98(6), 18-28.

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Leadership and The Army Profession, Essay Sample

Leadership in the army is an essential component of its operations, and it is no surprise that the values of an army soldier are integral to this aspect.

The history of the army is marked by a legacy of core values and principles that have stood the test of time. These values have been an integral part of the army’s success, shaping the soldiers who embody them into exceptional leaders. The values of selfless service, duty, integrity, respect, and loyalty are more than just words on paper; they are the foundation of the army’s culture and the backbone of its operations. In this essay, we will explore the significance of these values in the context of leadership and how they can be applied beyond the army to our daily lives.

Selfless Service

As an army soldier, selfless service is a core value that emphasizes putting the needs of others above one’s own. Leaders who embody selfless service prioritize the well-being of their team and are willing to make sacrifices to ensure their success. There are several reasons why selfless service is an essential value for effective leadership in the army profession:

Building Trust

By showing selfless service, leaders build trust with their team members. When the team sees that their leader is willing to put their needs above their own, it creates a sense of loyalty and respect towards the leader.

Motivating Others

Leaders who put their team’s needs before their own often inspire their team members to do the same. By leading by example, these leaders motivate their team members to work towards a common goal and foster a sense of unity within the team.

Creating a Positive Culture

When leaders prioritize the well-being of their team, it creates a positive culture within the unit. Team members feel supported and valued, which can lead to increased morale and productivity.

Fostering a Sense of Responsibility

Leaders who embody selfless service often encourage their team members to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. This creates a sense of ownership and accountability within the team and helps to build a culture of excellence.

Developing Future Leaders

By embodying selfless service, leaders are able to inspire and develop future leaders. When team members see the benefits of putting others first, they are more likely to adopt this value themselves and become effective leaders in the future.

Duty is an essential value in the Army profession, where leaders are expected to take responsibility for their actions and ensure that they meet their obligations. As a leader, it is crucial to understand the importance of fulfilling duties and responsibilities towards your team and organization. This means putting the needs of your team and organization first, even if it requires personal sacrifice.

In the Army, soldiers are trained to understand that duty goes beyond just following orders, it also means being accountable for their actions and taking ownership of their mistakes. A leader who embodies the value of duty is willing to put in the time and effort to achieve their objectives, while also making sure that their team is supported and empowered to achieve their goals. By prioritizing duty, leaders can inspire their team to do the same, creating a culture of accountability and responsibility that drives success.

Leaders who prioritize duty lead by example, showing their team that they are willing to put in the hard work and make difficult decisions to achieve their objectives. They understand that fulfilling their obligations is critical to the success of their team and organization, and they take pride in doing so. By embodying the value of duty, leaders can inspire their teams to take ownership of their responsibilities and work together towards achieving their shared goals.

Integrity is a core value that emphasizes honesty, moral courage, and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult. Leaders who embody integrity prioritize ethical behavior and inspire trust and respect from their team. They lead by example and demonstrate a commitment to honesty and fairness in all their actions.

Leading with integrity means being transparent, accountable, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. An integral leader is one who adheres to ethical principles and values, even when faced with difficult decisions. For example, a leader who reports a mistake or takes responsibility for a team member’s error demonstrates the value of integrity.

In the army profession, respect is a core value that is essential for effective leadership. This value emphasizes the importance of treating others with dignity and honor, regardless of their rank or position. Leaders who embody respect prioritize creating a positive and inclusive environment for their team, where everyone feels valued and heard.

Respect is crucial for building strong relationships within a team. When leaders treat their subordinates with respect, it fosters a sense of trust and loyalty. It also encourages team members to work together towards a common goal, knowing that their contributions will be valued and recognized.

Furthermore, respectful leaders set an example for their team to follow. They demonstrate the importance of treating others with kindness and understanding, even in difficult situations. This can have a positive impact on the team’s overall morale and can lead to increased motivation and productivity.

In the army, respect also means following established protocols and adhering to the chain of command. This ensures that orders are carried out effectively and efficiently, without compromising the safety of the team or the mission.

Overall, leaders who embody respect create a positive and productive environment for their team, and set an example for others to follow. By prioritizing this core value, they demonstrate a commitment to building strong relationships and achieving success through teamwork and collaboration.

Loyalty is a core value that emphasizes the importance of commitment and devotion to one’s team and organization. Leaders who embody loyalty prioritize building strong relationships with their team and are willing to defend and support them through difficult times. Here are some key points to consider when discussing loyalty in leadership:

Prioritizing the team

Leaders who embody loyalty prioritize the needs and goals of their team above their personal interests. They understand that their success is linked to the success of their team and are committed to ensuring that everyone is working towards a common goal.

Building trust

Loyalty is built on a foundation of trust. Leaders who embody loyalty prioritize building trust with their team by being transparent, honest, and consistent in their actions and decisions. They understand that trust is earned over time and work hard to maintain it.

Supporting the team

Leaders who embody loyalty are willing to go above and beyond to support their team. They provide the resources and guidance needed for their team to succeed and are always looking for ways to improve their team’s performance.

Defending the team

Leaders who embody loyalty are willing to defend their team from external threats or criticism. They understand that their team’s success may sometimes be challenged, and they are willing to take a stand to protect their team’s reputation and well-being.

Demonstrating commitment

Leaders who embody loyalty demonstrate their commitment to their team and organization through their actions. They are willing to make personal sacrifices to ensure their team’s success and are always looking for ways to improve their team’s performance.

In conclusion, the values of an army soldier, including selfless service, duty, integrity, respect, and loyalty, are not only critical to the success of the army, but they also play a vital role in shaping leadership. Through this essay, we have seen how these values are integral to effective leadership in any organization or aspect of life. Leaders who prioritize the well-being of their team, fulfill their duties, embody integrity, respect others, and show loyalty, are the ones who can create a positive and productive environment for their team. It is essential to recognize and embrace these values to succeed in leadership roles.

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Leadership and the Army Profession

This essay will discuss the concept of leadership within the context of the Army profession. It will cover the unique aspects of military leadership, including the importance of values, ethics, and the responsibility of leading soldiers in various situations. The piece will explore the characteristics of effective Army leaders, the challenges they face, and the impact of leadership on military operations and morale. It will also touch on the ongoing development and training of leaders in the Army, reflecting on how these practices contribute to the profession’s distinct nature. You can also find more related free essay samples at PapersOwl about Army.

How it works

Leadership is a critical quality in the mission of the army but it cannot be taught. There are numerous skills that the army is equipped with, but they are all up to one intent: serving the interest of nations. Leadership plays a pivotal role in serving the interests of the nations with effectiveness, expertise, and tact. Regardless of the positions that they occupy in the army, soldiers are supposed to conduct themselves with the army values in their minds. The army has strengthened its foundation of leadership by maintaining courtesies and customs as expected of them.

Although it is not an exclusive reserve for men and women in service, professionalism in leadership separates soldiers from society.

Leadership, as defined by the army in AR 600-100, is influencing through the provision of motivation, direction, and purpose. The army has a framework that captures the army values. This framework is abbreviated as LDRSHIP and entails the following: Loyalty: committing allegiance to the objectives of command, oath of enlistment, and one’s peers. Duty: to remain bound to the welfare of one’s mission statement, the welfare of self, and that of fellow soldiers. Respect: having an understanding that everyone is important for the ultimate effectiveness of the mission. Selfless Service: having a comprehension and acceptance of the fact that the needs of many in most cases will outweigh those of the few. Honor: being governed by virtues that compel you to act in recognition of what is right and wrong. Integrity: transparency and honesty in intentions and actions, and never using any means to deceive your audience. Personal Courage: fighting through the challenges of fear and self-doubt and remaining steadfast through challenging moments.

Understanding toxic leadership is equally important to the understanding of the good one. Starting from the individual level of a soldier, a negative environment fosters toxic leadership. A negative environment sets in when a soldier cannot follow, rely on, or trust their leadership. A leadership that is self-centered, insensitive, incompetent, and criminal slows or prevents growth within a platoon, team, or squad.

Right from the initial entry, a soldier’s brain is characterized by leadership. The army’s professional culture has been sustained through five major values. These include trust, stewardship, military expertise, esprit de corps, and honorable service. All the values in the army are upheld by the virtue of trust, which means that one has confidence in the superiors and the subordinates. Military expertise refers to the level of know-how that a soldier has in the military customs, service, and occupation. Honorable service is the ability to serve in a capacity that exemplifies the wholeness of the values of the Army. Stewardship is the capacity to be tactful and careful in handling the soldiers’ responsibilities. Esprit de corps means the ‘spirit of the corps’ which implies unity of self and your element. Synchronicity is created with soldiers who are well-equipped with the culture of the army, and cadence of action and are effectively trained. Iron fist does not guarantee a strong command, but respect, communication, and attentiveness do. When one masters the art of respecting all ranks, they develop individually and unity is matured. The army profession is anchored on this individual development.

In pursuit of establishing a foundation, soldiers need to be given dynamic ways of thinking. The army comprises many parts that represent various life experiences. The various experiences that work together as a unit are the factors that develop potential leaders. When one enrolls in the army, the first thing that they are taught is how to be a soldier. This is what is known as professionalism in uniform. Being a soldier gives the individual pride when serving and helps the person directly align to the military bearing. Self-confidence is created when soldiers are equipped with technical and cultural knowledge of the army. When one wishes to have the soldiers willing and open to trust them, he should instill confidence. Through such developed confidence, the soldiers start taking more calculated risks.

When soldiers are well-equipped with confidence, they start identifying risks versus rewards, which is a crucial thinking tool. Through critical thinking, the soldiers can maneuver issues concerning the professional, social, and moral importance of ethics in the army profession. Besides, when soldiers are rewarded through certification and commendations for their critical thinking, the confidence that they have is further validated. Some of the things that validate the soldiers’ military expertise include graduations from professional military schools and promotions. Also, subordinates benefit from validation of duty as they have attainable goals through their leadership. A soldier is shown the standards that they need to attain where the commitment to the army goals is demonstrated.

It can, therefore, be rightly deduced that in the army leadership and professionalism are synonymous, but not mutually exclusive.  This is clear from the examination of both the five essential values and army values. The common factor that these values demonstrate is the leadership attributes that one should possess. The army culture fosters the attributes of followership that result in building strong leadership. When a person carries leadership as a trait, then the soldier’s ability to execute such traits is professionalism.

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DEVELOPING DIGITAL LEADERSHIP PRACTICES IN MILITARY: A WAY FORWARD

• Mr. Jawad Mahroof
• Ms. Rabbia Javaid

Military leadership today deals with a plethora of information related to its on-field and offthe-field operations that are complex in nature and needs critical thinking which can affect the decision-making process. Information overload is a phenomenon that creates uncertainty and ambiguity in decision-making. Losing direction is very likely in such situations as it could be an issue for the leadership to keep track of what needs to be contained and what needs to be discarded from the chunks of information received continuously. Building adaptive and agile leadership is imperative to technology adaption in the military as digital decision-making and a tech-savvy culture will be key attributes of the future. Adapting digital technologies will help fight and win wars in the digital era and military leadership must learn the digital leadership skills to win the fights driven by technology. With the future of warfare going digital, knowledge-based decision-making will be a valuable asset as these capabilities will become a necessity in times to come. Information control will play a pivotal role in digital leadership and digital leadership combined with the foresight and experience of the commanders can help tackle fifthgeneration warfare.

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Finalists of the Inaugural Leadership Essay Prize Announced

Thursday, 18 May 2023

Today, the National Army Museum hosted an awards ceremony for the inaugural Leadership Essay Prize, a partnership between the Centre for Army Leadership (CAL) and the National Army Museum.

The awards ceremony was attended by staff from both organisations, as well as the finalists and their families. Major General Zac Stenning OBE, Commandant of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and Brigadier Justin Maciejewski, Director of the National Army Museum, presented the awards.

The essay competition, created in partnership between the two organisations, was open to short essays exploring the theme of leadership and emotional intelligence in both the Junior and Main categories.

Entrants were encouraged from both military and civilian backgrounds, and were asked to write about leadership and emotional intelligence from their own perspectives, and to draw on their own personal experience of leadership, whether that be a figure from their own lives or a historical role model.

The project’s first year was a huge success and builds on a long history of collaboration between the National Army Museum and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where CAL is based. 

The National Army Museum's collection was originally housed at Sandhurst, where the Museum was founded in 1960. Today, the two institutions work together closely, and the Leadership Essay Prize demonstrates how important this relationship continues to be.

The winners will be offered the opportunity to publish their work in either National Army Museum or CAL publications. From over 100 entrants, four finalists were picked: a runner-up and winner for both categories.

Junior Category

Runner-up: thomas boyd.

What Modern Leaders Can Learn from Lieutenant General Hal Moore’s Human Leadership: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership by Example

Thomas is 17 years old and studying History, Philosophy and Business for his A-Levels at King's College Taunton. He is in the Royal Marines Cadets.

Winner: Joshua Ralph

Emotional Intelligence Within Leadership

Joshua is a 2nd-year Economics student at the University of Southampton, Southampton UOTC, 1st year Ocdt.

Main Category

Runner-up: andrew fox.

Leadership and Emotional Intelligence: The How to the What and the Why

Andrew is a retired Army officer and currently Senior Lecturer in Communications & Applied Behavioural Science at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Winner: Major Alex Paske

Courageous Conversations: An Essential Leadership Tool

A former elite athlete and a Commissioned Officer, Alex is currently employed within the Army Diversity and Inclusion Team.

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For more information, please contact the National Army Museum Communications Team at [email protected]

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The National Army Museum shares the history and heritage of our soldiers and their service in the Army, across the globe and down the centuries. Through our collections we explore the history of the Army from its origins to the present day. We aim to engage and inspire everyone with the stories of our soldiers and how their service shapes our world; past, present and future.

About the Centre for Army Leadership

The Centre for Army Leadership (CAL) exists to champion Army leadership excellence in order to optimise the Army's edge and underpin operational success. The CAL is the guardian of the Army Leadership Doctrine, the codification of our philosophy. We act as the Army's leadership conscience, calibrating our thinking across multiple sectors and, through the CAL Research Institute, ensuring conceptual rigor. Furthermore, our persistent engagement seeks to stimulate debate, awareness, and critical thinking.

We are a small but dedicated team of theorists and practitioners, supported by advocates across the Army who share our passion for leader and leadership development. We are committed to the betterment of the Whole Army – all ranks, Regular and Reserve, through-life – and, altruistically, wider society.

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In business or on the battlefield, leadership means setting an example and having the courage to do the right thing or to speak up

Patrick Nelson is CEO of Loyalty Point Leadership . His award-winning service as a U.S. Army paratrooper included three combat deployments.

We often think of leadership as a sublime experience akin to leading soldiers up the proverbial hill in battle but in all actuality it’s the consistent application of the small things. I’ve served with and met some of the most courageous people in the world who actually charged up hills with bullets whizzing by, but they will tell you it does not take a grandiose gesture like that to be a good leader. 

The number one way to start building trust with others is to lead by example. When we lead by example, this creates alignment between our words and our actions and it demonstrates to others exactly what our expectations are.

On June 8, 2005, I was operating with our platoon out of a small forward operating base (FOB) near the Pakistani border with Afghanistan at place called FOB Shkin. On this particular morning, we were getting resupplied with some ammunition by a Chinook helicopter.

As soon as we heard the distant “thump-thump” of the Chinook’s double rotor blades cresting the mountains, I hopped in the front passenger seat of a Humvee and Luke hopped in the driver’s seat. As we were about to pull away to drive to the landing zone, my soldier, Emmanuel Hernandez, hopped in the back. He wasn’t supposed to be there, so I turned around and was about to yell at him. But I thought for a second about how I valued this kind of work ethic. He was volunteering to come lift some heavy boxes and help the team out. Awesome! So I didn’t say anything. 

As I was turning back around, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he didn’t have his helmet on. I literally opened my mouth and was about to yell at him, but then I realized that I didn’t have mine on either. It’s kind of hard for me to say something to someone else if I myself am not doing the right thing. So I said nothing. 

As the helicopter landed, a group of 10 of us had to step to the side of the aircraft so they could get the machine gun off the back ramp, and we could start unloading it. I turned my back to the group so I could guide my buddy Luke in the Humvee to get him a little closer to the back of the helicopter. The next thing I knew,  boom!  and everything went dark. It was as if I was hit on the back of the head and just crumbled to the ground. As I was lying there, disoriented and unable to hear, my first thought was maybe someone was playing a joke—just soldiers horsing. But then I opened my eyes and saw there were bodies and blood all over the ground.

My hearing slowly came back, and there was a moment of eerie silence that felt like it lasted two seconds and two hours at the same time. But that silence was pierced by a whistling sound I was all too familiar with, an incoming rocket. I quickly got up and dove underneath the Humvee for cover as rockets started to impact all around. I quickly realized it was a rocket that had landed next to us that had knocked me down. As the barrage finally ended, I crawled out from under the Humvee and started making my way back to the soldiers who were still on the ground, unsure of what I was going to find. 

As I was doing that, a Marine yelled from behind me that I had been hit. I hadn’t felt any pain at that point, but I turned my head and saw that the back of my uniform was shredded, with patches of blood soaking through.

As my buddy Luke bandaged me up, I saw Sergeant Michael Kelly, a supply sergeant from Scituate, Massachusetts, who was recently attached to our unit, lying on an elevated stretcher and the local Afghan doctor—a real short guy—standing on a red milk create performing CPR. 

I did a quick lap around the clinic to see who else was hurt. It couldn’t have been more than 45 seconds when I came back around and saw they had lowered Michael to the ground and were zipping him up into a body bag. 

I eventually found my way to a small room in the back of the clinic and that’s where I found my soldier, Emmanuel Hernande. His head was bandaged, and he was unconscious—but I could see his chest rise and fall so I knew he was breathing.

Medevac helicopters arrived and brought us to surgical teams spread throughout the country. They removed several pieces of shrapnel from my back but left a few souvenirs in there that were too deep to get out. They stitched and patched me up and I was sent out to the landing zone to get on another helicopter to Bagram Airfield for more advanced medical care. As I was waiting there, my commander, Major Howard, approached me and asked how I was doing. I told him I was going to be okay, and I asked him about Emmanuel. He told me that he was going to be okay, and I felt so relieved. 

He turned to walk away but didn’t get more than four or five steps when he turned around, and with tears coming down his cheeks, he said, “I am sorry. I lied. Hernandez didn’t make it.” My knees got weak, and I hit the ground as Major Howard embraced me. Emmanuel died because shrapnel from the explosion hit him in the head. He died because I wasn’t leading by example. Because I didn’t have the courage to do the right thing or to speak up.

Setting the example 

I broke the trust with my soldiers on June 8, 2005, by not leading by example. We had an understood trust in each other to have each other’s back, whether that meant trusting the person responsible for being awake in the middle of the night on guard duty or trusting that we speak up when we noticed someone was not doing the right thing, like wearing their helmet. For a long time after that incident, I went down a dark path and beat myself up pretty badly. I obviously cannot change the past, but I have learned that I can take that story and influence the future. 

If you’re not actively deployed in the military somewhere around the world, I can say, with a strong amount of certainty, that you probably will not get rockets shot at you. Obviously, not every decision will have life-or-death consequences, and thank goodness for that! But the idea of you being able to inspire and influence those around you through the consistent application of good leadership behaviors cannot be overstated.

Reprinted by permission of Patrick Nelson, author of  Front-Line Leadership Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons. All rights reserved.

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What is Project 2025? What to know about the conservative blueprint for a second Trump administration

By Melissa Quinn , Jacob Rosen

Updated on: July 11, 2024 / 9:40 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Voters in recent weeks have begun to hear the name "Project 2025" invoked more and more by President Biden and Democrats, as they seek to sound the alarm about what could be in store if former President Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House.

Overseen by the conservative Heritage Foundation, the multi-pronged initiative includes a detailed blueprint for the next Republican president to usher in a sweeping overhaul of the executive branch.

Trump and his campaign have worked to distance themselves from Project 2025, with the former president going so far as to call some of the proposals "abysmal." But Democrats have continued to tie the transition project to Trump, especially as they find themselves mired in their own controversy over whether Mr. Biden should withdraw from the 2024 presidential contest following his startling debate performance last month.

Here is what to know about Project 2025:

What is Project 2025?

Project 2025 is a proposed presidential transition project that is composed of four pillars: a policy guide for the next presidential administration; a LinkedIn-style database of personnel who could serve in the next administration; training for that pool of candidates dubbed the "Presidential Administration Academy;" and a playbook of actions to be taken within the first 180 days in office.

It is led by two former Trump administration officials: Paul Dans, who was chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management and serves as director of the project, and Spencer Chretien, former special assistant to Trump and now the project's associate director.

Project 2025 is spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, but includes an advisory board consisting of more than 100 conservative groups.

Much of the focus on — and criticism of — Project 2025 involves its first pillar, the nearly 900-page policy book that lays out an overhaul of the federal government. Called "Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise," the book builds on a "Mandate for Leadership" first published in January 1981, which sought to serve as a roadmap for Ronald Reagan's incoming administration.

The recommendations outlined in the sprawling plan reach every corner of the executive branch, from the Executive Office of the President to the Department of Homeland Security to the little-known Export-Import Bank. 

The Heritage Foundation also created a "Mandate for Leadership" in 2015 ahead of Trump's first term. Two years into his presidency, it touted that Trump had instituted 64% of its policy recommendations, ranging from leaving the Paris Climate Accords, increasing military spending, and increasing off-shore drilling and developing federal lands. In July 2020, the Heritage Foundation gave its updated version of the book to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. 

The authors of many chapters are familiar names from the Trump administration, such as Russ Vought, who led the Office of Management and Budget; former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller; and Roger Severino, who was director of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Vought is the policy director for the 2024 Republican National Committee's platform committee, which released its proposed platform on Monday. 

John McEntee, former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office under Trump, is a senior advisor to the Heritage Foundation, and said that the group will "integrate a lot of our work" with the Trump campaign when the official transition efforts are announced in the next few months.

Candidates interested in applying for the Heritage Foundation's "Presidential Personnel Database" are vetted on a number of political stances, such as whether they agree or disagree with statements like "life has a right to legal protection from conception to natural death," and "the President should be able to advance his/her agenda through the bureaucracy without hindrance from unelected federal officials."

The contributions from ex-Trump administration officials have led its critics to tie Project 2025 to his reelection campaign, though the former president has attempted to distance himself from the initiative.

What are the Project 2025 plans?

Some of the policies in the Project 2025 agenda have been discussed by Republicans for years or pushed by Trump himself: less federal intervention in education and more support for school choice; work requirements for able-bodied, childless adults on food stamps; and a secure border with increased enforcement of immigration laws, mass deportations and construction of a border wall. 

But others have come under scrutiny in part because of the current political landscape. 

Abortion and social issues

In recommendations for the Department of Health and Human Services, the agenda calls for the Food and Drug Administration to reverse its 24-year-old approval of the widely used abortion pill mifepristone. Other proposed actions targeting medication abortion include reinstating more stringent rules for mifepristone's use, which would permit it to be taken up to seven weeks into a pregnancy, instead of the current 10 weeks, and requiring it to be dispensed in-person instead of through the mail.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that is on the Project 2025 advisory board, was involved in a legal challenge to mifepristone's 2000 approval and more recent actions from the FDA that made it easier to obtain. But the Supreme Court rejected the case brought by a group of anti-abortion rights doctors and medical associations on procedural grounds.

The policy book also recommends the Justice Department enforce the Comstock Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills. That 1873 law prohibits drugs, medicines or instruments used in abortions from being sent through the mail.

Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade , the volume states that the Justice Department "in the next conservative administration should therefore announce its intent to enforce federal law against providers and distributors of such pills."

The guide recommends the next secretary of Health and Human Services get rid of the Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force established by the Biden administration before Roe's reversal and create a "pro-life task force to ensure that all of the department's divisions seek to use their authority to promote the life and health of women and their unborn children."

In a section titled "The Family Agenda," the proposal recommends the Health and Human Services chief "proudly state that men and women are biological realities," and that "married men and women are the ideal, natural family structure because all children have a right to be raised by the men and women who conceived them."

Further, a program within the Health and Human Services Department should "maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family."

During his first four years in office, Trump banned transgender people from serving in the military. Mr. Biden reversed that policy , but the Project 2025 policy book calls for the ban to be reinstated.

Targeting federal agencies, employees and policies

The agenda takes aim at longstanding federal agencies, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The agency is a component of the Commerce Department and the policy guide calls for it to be downsized. 

NOAA's six offices, including the National Weather Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, "form a colossal operation that has become one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity," the guide states. 

The Department of Homeland Security, established in 2002, should be dismantled and its agencies either combined with others, or moved under the purview of other departments altogether, the policy book states. For example, immigration-related entities from the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Health and Human Services should form a standalone, Cabinet-level border and immigration agency staffed by more than 100,000 employees, according to the agenda.

If the policy recommendations are implemented, another federal agency that could come under the knife by the next administration, with action from Congress, is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The agenda seeks to bring a push by conservatives to target diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in higher education to the executive branch by wiping away a slew of DEI-related positions, policies and programs and calling for the elimination of funding for partners that promote DEI practices.

It states that U.S. Agency for International Development staff and grantees that "engage in ideological agitation on behalf of the DEI agenda" should be terminated. At the Treasury Department, the guide says the next administration should "treat the participation in any critical race theory or DEI initiative without objecting on constitutional or moral grounds, as per se grounds for termination of employment."

The Project 2025 policy book also takes aim at more innocuous functions of government. It calls for the next presidential administration to eliminate or reform the dietary guidelines that have been published by the Department of Agriculture for more than 40 years, which the authors claim have been "infiltrated" by issues like climate change and sustainability.

Immigration

Trump made immigration a cornerstone of his last two presidential runs and has continued to hammer the issue during his 2024 campaign. Project 2025's agenda not only recommends finishing the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but urges the next administration to "take a creative and aggressive approach" to responding to drug cartels at the border. This approach includes using active-duty military personnel and the National Guard to help with arrest operations along the southern border.

A memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement that prohibits enforcement actions from taking place at "sensitive" places like schools, playgrounds and churches should be rolled back, the policy guide states. 

When the Homeland Security secretary determines there is an "actual or anticipated mass migration of aliens" that presents "urgent circumstances" warranting a federal response, the agenda says the secretary can make rules and regulations, including through their expulsion, for as long as necessary. These rules, the guide states, aren't subject to the Administration Procedure Act, which governs the agency rule-making process.

What do Trump and his advisers say about Project 2025?

In a post to his social media platform on July 5, Trump wrote , "I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them."

Trump's pushback to the initiative came after Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said in a podcast interview that the nation is "in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be."

The former president continued to disavow the initiative this week, writing in another social media post  that he knows nothing about Project 2025.

"I have not seen it, have no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it," Trump wrote. "The Radical Left Democrats are having a field day, however, trying to hook me into whatever policies are stated or said. It is pure disinformation on their part. By now, after all of these years, everyone knows where I stand on EVERYTHING!"

While the former president said he doesn't know who is in charge of the initiative, the project's director, Dans, and associate director, Chretien, were high-ranking officials in his administration. Additionally, Ben Carson, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Trump; John Ratcliffe, former director of National Intelligence in the Trump administration; and Peter Navarro, who served as a top trade adviser to Trump in the White House, are listed as either authors or contributors to the policy agenda.

Still, even before Roberts' comments during "The War Room" podcast — typically hosted by conservative commentator Steve Bannon, who reported to federal prison to begin serving a four-month sentence last week — Trump's top campaign advisers have stressed that Project 2025 has no official ties to his reelection bid.

Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, senior advisers to the Trump campaign, said in a November statement that 2024 policy announcements will be made by Trump or his campaign team.

"Any personnel lists, policy agendas, or government plans published anywhere are merely suggestions," they said.

While the efforts by outside organizations are "appreciated," Wiles and LaCivita said, "none of these groups or individuals speak for President Trump or his campaign."

In response to Trump's post last week, Project 2025 reiterated that it was separate from the Trump campaign.

"As we've been saying for more than two years now, Project 2025 does not speak for any candidate or campaign. We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy & personnel recommendations for the next conservative president. But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement," a statement on the project's X account said.

The initiative has also pushed back on Democrats' claims about its policy proposals and accused them of lying about what the agenda contains.

What do Democrats say?

Despite their attempts to keep some distance from Project 2025, Democrats continue to connect Trump with the transition effort. The Biden-Harris campaign frequently posts about the project on X, tying it to a second Trump term.

Mr. Biden himself accused his Republican opponent of lying about his connections to the Project 2025 agenda, saying in a statement that the agenda was written for Trump and "should scare every single American." He claimed on his campaign social media account  Wednesday that Project 2025 "will destroy America."

Congressional Democrats have also begun pivoting to Project 2025 when asked in interviews about Mr. Biden's fitness for a second term following his lackluster showing at the June 27 debate, the first in which he went head-to-head with Trump.

"Trump is all about Project 2025," Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman told CNN on Monday. "I mean, that's what we really should be voting on right now. It's like, do we want the kind of president that is all about Project '25?"

Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, one of Mr. Biden's closest allies on Capitol Hill, told reporters Monday that the agenda for the next Republican president was the sole topic he would talk about.

"Project 2025, that's my only concern," he said. "I don't want you or my granddaughter to live under that government."

In a statement reiterating her support for Mr. Biden, Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida called Project 2025 "MAGA Republicans' draconian 920-page plan to end U.S. democracy, give handouts to the wealthy and strip Americans of their freedoms."

What are Republicans saying about Project 2025?

Two GOP senators under consideration to serve as Trump's running mate sought to put space between the White House hopeful and Project 2025, casting it as merely the product of a think tank that puts forth ideas.

"It's the work of a think tank, of a center-right think tank, and that's what think tanks do," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday.

He said Trump's message to voters focuses on "restoring common sense, working-class values, and making our decisions on the basis of that."

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance raised a similar sentiment in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," saying organizations will have good ideas and bad ideas.

"It's a 900-page document," he said Sunday. "I guarantee there are things that Trump likes and dislikes about that 900-page document. But he is the person who will determine the agenda of the next administration."

Jaala Brown contributed to this report.

Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts.

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What Is Project 2025, and Why Is Trump Disavowing It?

The Biden campaign has attacked Donald J. Trump’s ties to the conservative policy plan that would amass power in the executive branch, though it is not his official platform.

• Share full article

By Simon J. Levien

Donald J. Trump has gone to great lengths to distance himself from Project 2025, a set of conservative policy proposals for a future Republican administration that has outraged Democrats. He has claimed he knows nothing about it or the people involved in creating it.

Mr. Trump himself was not behind the project. But some of his allies were.

The document, its origins and the interplay between it and the Trump campaign have made for one of the most hotly debated questions of the 2024 race.

Here is what to know about Project 2025, and who is behind it.

What is Project 2025?

Project 2025 was spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation and like-minded conservative groups before Mr. Trump officially entered the 2024 race. The Heritage Foundation is a think tank that has shaped the personnel and policies of Republican administrations since the Reagan presidency.

The project was intended as a buffet of options for the Trump administration or any other Republican presidency. It’s the latest installment in the Heritage Foundation’s Mandate for Leadership series, which has compiled conservative policy proposals every few years since 1981. But no previous study has been as sweeping in its recommendations — or as widely discussed.

Kevin Roberts, the head of the Heritage Foundation, which began putting together the latest document in 2022, said he thought the American government would embrace a more conservative era, one that he hoped Republicans would usher in.

“We are in the process of the second American Revolution,” Mr. Roberts said on Real America’s Voice, a right-wing cable channel, in early July, adding pointedly that the revolt “will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”

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