Internet backs Michael Steele as he clashes with Kevin Roberts over threat to dismantle govt for Trump
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: An explosive interview unfolded on MSNBC's 'The Weekend' when former RNC chair Michael Steele clashed with Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, as reported by The Raw Story.
The heated debate revolved around Project 2025, a controversial plan to dismantle and align the federal government with Donald Trump's vision. Roberts deemed the architect of this far-right initiative, faced intense scrutiny from Steele over proposals to terminate federal employees based on political contributions.
Michael Steele clashes with Heritage Foundation's Kevin Roberts about Project 2025
From the beginning, the conversation was filled with tension. Steele confronted Roberts about the plan to fire over 50,000 federal employees who had donated to Democratic candidates.
Roberts argued that the goal was to purge the government of what he termed "left" influence, claiming that the federal workforce predominantly supported the Democratic Party.
"You're going to fire someone because they gave a check to a Democratic candidate?" Steele asked furiously.
Roberts responded, "No, we're going to fire someone — and the number needs to be more than 50,000, considering there are 2 million federal employees. Because over the last century, the radical left has seen the administrative state as the fourth branch of government."
"They're unelected bureaucrats — nothing against your dad, a human being, you know that. obviously. But ultimately, we have to devolve power from the imperial state," he added.
Steele's defense of federal employees was passionate and personal. He pointed out the flawed logic in Roberts' arguments, emphasizing that political contributions did not necessarily reflect an employee's job performance or loyalty.
"But you would fire my dad because he wrote a check to a Democratic candidate without any appreciation or understanding where his political allegiance actually lies. You take away their job, why does that matter?" Steele expressed.
Roberts maintained that employees in misaligned missions would have to seek employment elsewhere, even if they served competently.
"If they are doing their job about a mission that is misaligned. For example, the U.S. Department of Education. Thankfully, president Trump deserves credit for saying he wants to end the Department of Education. That means employees in that agency, even if they have been serving a mission with great competence will have to look for another job," he remarked.
"The folks you are identifying who are Trump-aligned are the ones who are going to be coming in," Steele shot back. "You are positive those people are incompetent," Roberts questioned.
"I'm not. As much as you are thinking I am positing these people are incompetent, you are positing they [existing employees] are somehow executing a nefarious agenda," Steele explained. "Some of them are," Roberts asserted.
Launched in 2022, Project 2025 seeks to replace thousands of federal civil servants with conservative appointees, pushing the unitary executive theory, which grants the president absolute control over the executive branch.
Michael Steele gains support online in wake of his contentious interview with Kevin Roberts
The contentious interview quickly gained traction online, with many siding with Steele. One Facebook user said, "2025 is Goebbels 101," while another remarked, "How is this guy not in prision for crimes against out country! It's a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Lock him up!"
A third user wrote, "Listening to this Heritage Foundation guy, HE is the radical one. Everything he says and proposes is radical. Hopefully people can see through it." Another user posted, "Heritage Foundation should be classified as a terrorist group. UnAmerican and undemocratic!!"
One user commented, "Roberts needs to be arrested for being a traitor of democracy." A sixth user mentioned, "This Heritage Foundation wackadoodle has no business near our government." Another user stated, "MAGA morons are delusional and are immune to FACTS." Lastly, a user said, "Roberts sounds as stupid as he looks!"
This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.