Trump, Project 2025 and Disability

I'm in San Francisco, as part of a trip to promote Evenbreak to a global audience, and I find myself in America at an historic moment. This week, Americans voted to have Donald Trump as their next president. Whilst I'm not going to make any political comments about this decision, as Founder and CEO of a global disability social enterprise, I do have concerns about Project 2025, should all or part of it be implemented.

Project 2025 is a policy 'blueprint' created by the Heritage Foundation, a prominent think tank in Washington, D.C., intended to guide the agenda of the next conservative president. If enacted, Project 2025 poses threats to the health, well-being, and fundamental civil rights of disabled people and other marginalised groups (source).

Project 2025 recommends eliminating many non-discrimination laws and regulations, including the concept of 'disparate impact' (similar to the UK's indirect discrimination). Whilst this form of discrimination is often unintentional, the impact on disabled people can still be severe, and the provision exists to challenge ableist policies and processes which often exist within organisations.

The document also suggests completely dismantling current DEI provision:

“The next conservative Administration should dismantle USAID’s DEI apparatus by eliminating the Chief Diversity Officer position along with the DEI  advisers and committees; cancel the DEI scorecard and dashboard; remove DEI requirements from contract and grant tenders and awards; issue a directive to cease promotion of the DEI agenda" (Project 2025 page 291)

Businesses thrive on inclusivity, data-driven decision-making and fair employment practices. The proposed changes in Project 2025, including the elimination of DEI roles, and collecting DEI data, could lead to a less inclusive workplace, higher employee turnover and reduced competitiveness. (source)

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, 7.6 million workers identified as disabled in September 2024 (source). Project 2025 could eliminate basic worker protections for disabled people. For example, eliminating Employment Information Report data collection would weaken the EEOC’s authority to file, mediate, and settle discrimination lawsuits against employers on behalf of employees.

Project 2025’s anti-regulation agenda threatens regulations around digital accessibility.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs was created to administer non-discrimination and affirmative action provisions, and this would be dismantled under Project 2025.

Project 2025 proposes closing down the Department of Education, which currently has the ability to enforce civil rights protections like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in education. This would significantly impact disabled children and young people, and their future employment prospects.

Project 2025 takes a wrecking ball to federal measures that address real issues disabled people face in accessing critical supports and services. If even only some of the policies outlined here are fully enacted or required by executive order, disabled people would face insurmountable hurdles to living and participating in their communities

(source)

This all makes frightening reading, and thus far there has been no confirmation that this damaging proposal will be enacted by the new President Elect. And, even if implemented, some elements of Project 2025 would probably face legal challenges, particularly those which impact civil rights protections and federal benefits. Advocacy groups, including disability rights organisations, are already preparing to contest any moves they view as harmful to civil rights or access to essential services.

Disabled people all over the world will be watching developments with trepidation. It makes us at Evenbreak even more determined to help create a world of employment with no disabling barriers, to ensure disabled people enjoy the same rights to enter, thrive and progress in the workplace, and to ensure that employers everywhere can access this valuable pool of talent.

(N.B. I have used identity-first language in this article to reflect the social model of disability, but Evenbreak exists to support disabled people everywhere, however they choose to identify, and those organisations who are enlightened enough to want to employ us.)