Why Trump is suddenly disavowing the right's favorite playbook

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Support our nonprofit journalism]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     July 8, 2024 President Biden came out swinging this morning, daring skeptics in his own party to ["challenge" him at the convention]( if they want him out of the race. So what do Democrats do now? The answer to that is above my pay grade. But I agree with [Sen. Chris Murphy's assessment]( over the weekend that this is going to be a critical week for Biden to prove that he's got what it takes to defeat Donald Trump. In my humble opinion, it does not help Biden's case to claim, rather absurdly, that it's the [party's "elites"]( who want him to step aside. But I'm not the president, and once again, what do I know! Actually, I do know one thing: Donald Trump is deeply familiar, despite his claims otherwise, with [Project 2025 and the folks behind the right-wing plan]( to essentially destroy the US's system of checks and balances, fire civil servant workers and replace them with MAGA loyalists, and get rid of huge swaths of the federal government—all with a second Trump term. But as I wrote this weekend, it's certainly notable that the former president is [attempting to distance himself]( from the very public plan as it gains attention among voters. However this whole Biden crisis shakes out, I look forward to increasing awareness of what's at stake should Project 2025 goals of a Trump return come to fruition. —Inae Oh P.S. My colleagues at Reveal have a [terrific episode this week]( about an Alabama man who was sentenced to death based on a single "earwitness" who claimed to have overheard his confession. This was more than 25 years ago. One earwitness, no physical evidence. Now his conviction is being called into question. [Listen here](. Advertisement [The Cost of Inheritance]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Biden Tells Congressional Democrats He’s Not Going Anywhere]( "I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump." BY JULIANNE MCSHANE SPONSORED CONTENT BY WORLD   Personal Stories of Reparations by Everyday Americans Stream [America ReFramed: The Cost of Inheritance]( on WORLD to meet people who are making reparations a reality. Unpack the key issues, examine the scope and rationale behind national and local reparation movements and hear opposing views in this exploration of our complicated history. [Host a community screening]( to start the conversation locally. [Trending] [Trump tries to distance himself from Project 2025—the far right’s playbook for a second term]( BY INAE OH   [The Supreme Court put America’s rivers at risk]( BY JACKIE FLYNN MOGENSEN   [Schiff, Murphy express alarm over Biden: He should be “mopping the floor with Donald Trump"]( BY INAE OH   [Local radio host says Biden team sent pre-planned questions]( BY JAMILAH KING Advertisement [The Cost of Inheritance]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [How AI's insatiable energy demands jeopardize Big Tech's climate goals]( Companies are struggling to meet their needs with sustainable sources. BY DAN MILMO, ALEX HERN, AND JILLIAN AMBROSE MOTHER JONES MEMBERSHIP UPDATE   GREAT JOURNALISM, SLOW FUNDRAISING Our team has been on fire lately—publishing sweeping, [one-of-a-kind]( investigations, ambitious, [groundbreaking]( projects, and even [releasing]( “the holy shit documentary of the year.” And that’s on top of [protecting free and fair elections]( and [standing up]( to bullies and BS when others in the media don’t. Yet, we just came up pretty short on our fundraising campaign. So even though we’re done screaming about [the donations we need]( for a while, if you value the journalism we do but haven’t pitched in recently, please [consider doing so now](—we urgently need a lot of help to make up for lost ground. And of course, THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has pitched in. It means the world to us. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Share it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755