Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has consistently stated that he is not connected to the contentious Project 2025. During his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, he claimed ignorance regarding the contributors behind it and expressed no intention of reviewing the document.

This claim has been made repeatedly.

So why is he now looking to include one of its authors in his possible administration?

During a call to The John Kobylt Show on KFI AM radio in California last Tuesday—just before his rally in Coachella—Trump was asked about his planned immigration initiatives that he could implement from day one.

In his answer, Trump mentioned a familiar face from his past administration.

“You’ve seen Tom Homan,” Trump said. “He’s coming on board.”

Tom Homan represents the troubling aspects of Trump’s immigration strategy

Homan, who served as the acting director of ICE from 2017 to 2018, is a contributor to Project 2025 and has hinted at joining Trump’s administration if he wins against Harris this November.

“If Trump returns in January, I will be right there to run the largest deportation force this country has seen,” Homan stated during a panel discussion at the National Conservatism Conference in July, according to a report by David Weigel of Semafor. “They haven’t seen anything yet. Just wait until 2025.”

Tom Homan is often recognized as the architect of Trump’s controversial family separation policy that resulted in over 5,000 children being removed from their families without any plan for their reunification. Bringing him back into the picture is deeply unsettling.

Project 2025 is the Republicans’ vision for America

Project 2025 is a comprehensive 922-page document developed by the Heritage Foundation, with over 100 conservative organizations also contributing. It presents a vision for a potential second Trump term, targeting the dismantling of what they refer to as the “deep state” and proposing to expand presidential authority.

Among its recommendations for the Department of Homeland Security, Project 2025 suggests an increase in deportations and a greater military presence at the border. It calls for the abolition of certain visas and the revocation of all temporary protected status provisions. ICE agents would gain the power to enter locations such as schools and churches, which were previously off-limits.

Plans for a second Trump administration include significant cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the repeal of elements of the Affordable Care Act, and stricter limitations on reproductive health care, urging the FDA to revoke the approval of mifepristone and misoprostol, medications used for abortion.

Trump has referenced aspects of Project 2025 several times

This most recent radio interview isn’t the first instance where Trump has pointed to aspects of Project 2025. He has repeatedly said he would eliminate the Department of Education if given another chance, which aligns with the document’s proposals.

Homan isn’t the sole former Trump administration member involved in crafting Project 2025. A CNN investigation revealed that at least 140 former staffers contributed their efforts to this initiative. If Trump is actively planning to involve Homan again, who knows who else from this project might join him in a second Trump administration?

It’s clear that Trump possesses more knowledge about Project 2025 than he admits. If this document serves as the framework for a renewed Trump term, we must collectively strive to prevent his return to the White House.