Washington, DC — Democracy Forward President and CEO, Skye Perryman, released the following statement in response to Donald Trump’s inaugural address:

“Today, Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term as President of the United States. Democracy Forward was formed in the aftermath of the 2016 election, and worked diligently throughout President Trump’s first term to protect the American people’s rights at a critical juncture in American history. After the violent insurrection on January 6, 2021, which resulted in the death of six individuals and no fewer than 140 police officers being injured, our team accelerated its work for people and democracy. 

“Today, our work accelerates once again. While we sincerely hope the incoming Administration will prioritize the American people and the common good, President Trump, by nominating architects and authors of Project 2025 to key positions in our government, has clearly signaled that harmful extremism will take precedence over the good of the American people, to our Constitution, and to our democracy as a whole.

“The dangerous policies in Project 2025 threaten our rights, healthcare, wages, national security and our nation’s greatest values. These threats are not mere abstractions; they include concrete actions such as attacking reproductive rights and ending the independence of federal agencies. They include harming American workers, by stripping away their rights and protections. And they include threatening our hardworking, dedicated, and independent civil servants – individuals who swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution, as opposed to swearing allegiance to one political ideology. Ultimately, the extreme policies of Project 2025 threaten our most fundamental American freedoms, like the right to vote and the right to have free and fair elections.

“It’s clear that our work is far from over. Our democracy is only as strong as the people willing to defend and sustain it. At Democracy Forward, we plan to spend the days, weeks and years ahead defending the American people, our Constitution, our democratic institutions and our fundamental rights, freedoms and values.”

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