EXCLUSIVE: A prominent US think tank with close ties to former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been identified as the architect behind what experts describe as the "troubling" blueprint for Donald Trump's second presidential term. The Heritage Foundation, a hard-line conservative organisation, has cultivated cosy relationships with several British politicians, including Reform UK's latest high-profile recruit, Suella Braverman.
Braverman's Lavish Praise and £9,000 Freebie Trip
Our investigation reveals that Suella Braverman accepted a complimentary trip valued at over £9,000 from The Heritage Foundation last year. During this visit, she delivered a speech in which she controversially claimed that the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom was "in tatters." The former Home Secretary, who recently defected from the Conservative Party to join Nigel Farage's Reform UK, heaped extravagant praise on the foundation.
Braverman described the think tank as "the brightest beacon of liberty, aspiration, and prosperity for many years" and even labelled it a "giant, towering over the policy think tank landscape." This characterisation, however, is being questioned by observers and experts who point to the organisation's direct influence on the current Trump administration.
The 'Project 2025' Blueprint and Trump's Second Term
Established in 1973, The Heritage Foundation states its mission is to promote conservative policies based on free enterprise, limited government, and a strong national defence. Its influence on US politics is long-standing, claiming that the Reagan administration implemented nearly two-thirds of its policy recommendations. More recently, its impact has been profoundly felt through "Project 2025," a comprehensive document published in 2023.
This 900-page manifesto represents a wish list of hard-right proposals, including a massive overhaul of the federal government. During the 2024 election campaign, Donald Trump initially attempted to distance himself from the blueprint, famously stating, "I know nothing about Project 2025." However, he later changed his tune, announcing on his Truth Social platform in October 2024 that he would meet with Russ Vought, a former Heritage Foundation vice president associated with the project, to discuss cutting federal agencies.
Since being sworn in for his second term, President Trump has actively pursued plans outlined in Project 2025, notably working to dramatically expand presidential power and reduce the size of the federal workforce. This rapid implementation has alarmed critics and watchdog groups.
Expert Warns of 'Terrifying' Results
Joe Mulhall, Director of Research at the advocacy group Hope Not Hate, provided a stark assessment to The Mirror. "The Heritage Foundation, most notably through Project 2025, provided a blueprint for many of the most troubling elements of Trump's second term," Mulhall stated.
He elaborated further, saying, "His rapid centralisation of executive power, the purge of the federal civil service, and the way he has pursued a dangerously far-right agenda from day one, was clearly influenced by the work of the Heritage Foundation. The foundation essentially provided a ready-made roadmap for his administration and the results have been terrifying."
Wider Network of UK Political Allies
Suella Braverman is not the only British politician with connections to The Heritage Foundation. Fellow Reform UK defector Robert Jenrick, who also left the Conservatives this month, delivered a speech at the foundation in February 2024. Former Tory Prime Minister Liz Truss also spoke at the organisation later that same year during the US launch of her book, Ten Years to Save the West, where she made the bizarre remark that conservatives needed "a bigger bazooka."
Furthermore, in 2022, the then-Conservative Party Chairman, Oliver Dowden, used a speech at the foundation to denounce what he termed a "painful woke psychodrama" sweeping Western nations. These engagements highlight a sustained and concerning relationship between the influential US think tank and key figures on the right of British politics, raising questions about external influence on domestic policy and rhetoric.
