Washington governor-elect announces subcommittee to combat Project 2025

The transition team expects Project 2025 to be pushed by the Trump Administration despite President-elect Trump's efforts during his campaign to distance himself from the controversial proposal.

"We are preparing in case President Trump attacks Washingtonians' core freedoms," Ferguson said, according to the outlet. "We will keep Washington moving forward no matter what happens at the federal level."

The initiative offered right-wing policy recommendations for Trump's second term, including replacing civil service employees with Trump loyalists, abolishing the Department of Education, criminalizing pornography, eliminating DEI programs, cutting funding for Medicaid and Medicare, rejecting abortion as health care, carrying out mass deportations and infusing the government with Christian values.

During his campaign, Trump had sought to distance himself from the initiative, which has been criticized as being an authoritarian and Christian nationalist plan that would undermine civil liberties, saying he knew nothing about it, that parts of it are "absolutely ridiculous and abysmal" and that its backers are on the "radical right."

But Trump has selected authors and contributors for Project 2025 to serve in his next administration, including Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget, Tom Homan as "border czar," Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy and Brendan Carr as chair of the Federal Communications Commission.

"This is a critical time in our nation as we look to the possibility of our communities being under attack from many different directions," Allen said, according to Fox 13. "I'm honored to serve on Governor-elect Ferguson's transition team and to co-chair this subcommittee to support his leadership in our state and country in championing and safeguarding reproductive rights and all of the rights of Washingtonians."

Barón said he is "honored to assist Governor-elect Ferguson in his transition into this new role and to co-chair this important subcommittee," Fox 13 reported.

"As an immigrant and as the proud parent of a trans daughter, I am particularly grateful that the Governor-elect is committed to protecting all Washington state residents, and especially those communities at greatest risk of having their rights attacked by the incoming federal administration," Barón continued.