What's 'Project 2025'? The Political Plan And Its Memes On TikTok And Twitter Explained

Twitter / X and TikTok users suddenly got bombarded over the weekend with new content about "Project 2025," and if you're not familiar with the topic, chances are that after you Google it or read this article, you'll have the same reaction as the Chef Skinner Reading a Letter meme.

So, who created Project 2025 and why is the Republican political plan getting memed on social media and causing an uproar online? Let's explain.

What Is 'Project 2025'?

Project 2025 is basically a transition plan if former President Donald Trump returns to office on January 20th, 2025. The political plan was created by the activist conservative think tank Heritage Foundation in conjunction with other Republican lawmakers and political advocates. Project 2025 first emerged online sometime in 2022, featuring almost 1,000 pages filled with content detailing a conservative agenda for the next U.S. president.

The official Project 2025 website says its goal is "to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left" and that it would achieve that with a "governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration."

Earlier this month, YouTuber @IllustratetoEducate posted a seven-minute video shortly explaining what Project 2025 is all about, including some major criticisms of the highly contentious plan.

How Did 'Project 2025' Go Viral On Social Media?

As increased campaigning and news started to swirl around the 2024 Presidential Election, talk of Project 2025 increased in mid-2023, receiving additional attention from the media and appearing in various discussions online, many expressing concern over its details.

For example, on July 23rd, 2023, the Political show host Mehdi Hasan uploaded a segment from his MSNBC show to X in which he goes over Project 2025 in more detail and his issues with it.

I spoke of Project 2025 yesterday. Here’s another take on it.This is NOT liberal scaremongering this is simply reporting what the right is now saying out loud.#DemsAct #DemVoice1 #wtpBLUE #ONEV1 #FAM46 pic.twitter.com/P7YfVroxH7

— 𝔗𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥 𝔐𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 (@politicsusa46) July 24, 2023

What Are Some Notable 'Project 2025' Memes Going Viral?

Memetic content about Project 2025 increased exponentially after the entire document was leaked online in September 2023. Netizens uploaded videos reading the pages and giving their reactions, like TikToker CoyoteAnnie, who posted a TikTok of herself in September 2023 reading different passages from it off a downloaded PDF copy, pointing out their personal issues with the plan and what it could mean for single mothers if enacted. This TikTok helped to popularize further readings and scrutiny of the source material.

Moving forward to 2024, more memes are continually being created about Project 2025, now focusing on how the political plan aims to completely criminalize adult content if the Republican Party wins the 2024 presidential election, among other goals many people find absurd or controversial.

For example, in May, TikTok user iretide5 posted a SpongeBob SquarePants clip in which characters from the show are mind-controlled by Plankton, paired with the caption "I Love Project 2025."

Numerous memers have also criticized the project's concept in humorous posts intended to showcase its plans. On June 8th, X user @lolz1044 posted a list of actions mentioned in the Project 2025 document as a response to the phrase "Project 2025 isn't that extreme."

For the full history of Project 2025, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.