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Where did Project 2025 really come from, and who’s behind its push for authoritarian power? In this episode, Bella Goode takes listeners inside the origin story of the most coordinated political blueprint in modern history. From right-wing think tanks and MAGA insiders to billionaires funding extremism and global inspiration from autocrats abroad, Project 2025 isn’t just Trump’s plan—it’s a full-scale ideological operation years in the making.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• The hidden roles of Paul Dans and Russell Vought in constructing and activating Project 2025
• Why “Personnel is Policy” became the strategic heart of the initiative and what it means for democracy
• The influence of more than 100 right-wing organizations in shaping every part of federal power
• The billionaires bankrolling authoritarianism: Leonard Leo, Rebekah Mercer, Peter Thiel, the Koch Network, and more
• International influence: How Viktor Orbán’s illiberal democracy in Hungary became the model for American autocracy
• How Christian nationalism and racial hierarchy shape the plan’s ideological engine
• The deeper purpose behind Project 2025: Why equality, not chaos, is their biggest fear

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• The People's Guide to Project 2025
• Politico
• The Heritage Foundation
• The Federalist Society
• Alliance Defending Freedom
• The Claremont Institute
• Turning Point USA
• Moms for Liberty
• Students for Trump
• Family Research Council
• Democracy Forward

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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What is Project 2025, and why are experts calling it a roadmap to authoritarianism? In this episode, Bella Goode unpacks the 4 strategic pillars of Trump’s plan to seize lasting control of the federal government. What’s at stake isn’t just policy, it’s the survival of democracy as we know it. Tune in to learn what they’re planning and why it matters more than ever.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• Pillar One: How Project 2025 aims to abolish the Department of Education and impose nationwide abortion bans
• Pillar Two: What “Deconstructing the Administrative State” really means and why it targets the EPA and OSHA
• Pillar Three: The threat of Schedule F: replacing career civil servants with handpicked loyalists
• Pillar Four: The rise of the MAGA training pipeline and why it could be a problem
• The devastating impact the Project 2025 would have on democracy, civil rights, public services, and institutional checks and balances

 

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• The Heritage Foundation
• The Center for Renewing America 

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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Episode Summary
Welcome to Surviving Trump. I’m Bella Goode.
This is the first episode in a new five-part series on Project 2025 — a sweeping plan already reshaping the U.S. government from the inside out. Drafted by the Heritage Foundation and backed by more than 100 right-wing organizations, Project 2025 is not a theory. It’s a 900-page blueprint for dismantling the federal system as we know it — eliminating checks and balances, replacing public servants with ideological loyalists, and rewriting the rules of everyday life.
This episode focuses on what the plan actually says, what it means for women in particular, and how much of it is already being implemented.

In This Episode
– What is Project 2025 and why does it matter?
– 10 core features of the plan that aim to dismantle American democracy
– How the blueprint targets women’s rights, healthcare, abortion access, and IVF
– A behind-the-scenes look at what’s already in motion — from personnel changes to policy shifts
– The bigger ideological vision: a return to male-dominated, theocratic government masked as “order” and “family values”

Why It Matters
Project 2025 is not about draining the swamp — it’s about replacing democracy with domination. At the heart of this plan is a radical effort to reshape society through executive orders, surveillance, purges, and forced obedience to a singular vision of power. And women are at the center of that vision — not as leaders, but as subjects.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s happening — right now.
If you care about democracy, freedom, equality, or even the right to make decisions about your own body — this is your wake-up call.

Next Episode
In Episode 30, we go behind the curtain:
Who’s funding Project 2025? Who’s writing the playbook? And what do they really believe?
We’ll trace the origins of the plan, explore the role of Christian nationalism and authoritarian ideology, and examine how Donald Trump fits into the machinery — not as a lone actor, but as the face of a well-organized, well-funded movement to consolidate power.

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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Episode Summary
In Episode 28, Bella Goode lays out a bold and urgent strategy to fight back against Trump’s second-term agenda and the authoritarian blueprint known as Project 2025. After covering the MAGA base, the donor class, and the fractured opposition in previous episodes, this one delivers something different — a clear, coordinated plan of action. It's called the Democracy Defense Plan (DDP), and it’s more than messaging. It’s infrastructure, execution, and survival. This is a blueprint for action.

In This Episode
Bella speaks directly to the listener — not the crowd. This is a one-on-one conversation about what we’re facing and what we can do about it. She walks through:

• The six core lessons Democrats must learn from Trump’s strategy
• How Project 2025 is quietly turning chaos into a system of control
• What the Democracy Defense Plan proposes: a counteroffensive built on structure, clarity, and unity
• Who can lead the fight — from governors to grassroots organizers
• The operational details: how to mobilize voters, fund the work, protect elections, and dominate the media narrative
• Why we need a champion — not a savior, but someone willing to step forward and carry this plan into the real world

Why It Matters
This episode is more than a critique of Trumpism — it’s a strategic call to arms. As Project 2025 rolls forward, threatening the foundations of American democracy, the Left has a choice: react slowly, or fight with focus. The Democracy Defense Plan offers a way to win — not with slogans, but with execution. If we don’t meet Trump’s machine with one of our own, we risk losing the system that allows us to hold elections at all.

Next Episode
Episode 29: Inside Project 2025 – The Blueprint for American Autocracy

We go deeper into Project 2025 itself — what it says, who wrote it, and how Trump’s team is already putting it into practice. This episode kicks off a new multi-part series examining the origins, ideology, and real-world consequences of the far-right’s master plan to permanently transform the federal government.

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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Episode Summary:
In Part Three of our four-part series on Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term, we’re shifting perspectives to examine how anti-Trump voices are responding to his chaotic and controversial return to power. For Trump’s critics — from journalists and activists to everyday Americans — these 100 days are not just a rocky start but a dangerous turning point. From executive overreach to economic fallout, from mass deportations to media crackdowns, we explore why so many believe the country is on the edge of authoritarianism.

In This Episode:

• What Anti-Trump Voices Are Saying: Why critics see Trump’s first 100 days as a calculated attempt to consolidate power, not govern responsibly.
• Consequences of Trump’s First 100 Days: How his policies are driving up prices, destabilizing markets, and stoking international tensions.
• Understanding Trump and His Base: Why traditional persuasion tactics fail with Trump’s loyalists — and what critics are focusing on instead.
• When Cruelty Is the Point: How human rights abuses, political retribution, and attacks on civil liberties are being weaponized as policy.
• Polling Data: How public opinion is shifting — and what it says about Trump’s approval, economic concerns, and public sentiment.

Why It Matters:
Trump’s first 100 days have been defined by executive overreach, legal overreach, and authoritarian drift — and the consequences are mounting. Critics argue that Trump isn’t governing to restore stability; he’s using power to punish enemies, reward allies, and reshape democracy in his image. From rising prices and economic insecurity to mass deportations and attacks on the press, the opposition believes the stakes have never been higher. Understanding their perspective isn’t just about opposing Trump — it’s about recognizing the systemic threats to democracy that are unfolding in real time.

Next Episode:
In Episode 28, we’ll dive into the Democrats’ battle plan for the next 100 days. How do they intend to counter Trump’s power grabs, protect vulnerable communities, and rally voters before the 2026 midterms? We’ll outline a roadmap for political resistance, spotlight the rising stars leading the charge, and explore

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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Episode Summary:
In the second instalment of our four-part series examining Trump’s first 100 days, Episode 26 of Surviving Trump explores the intense loyalty of the MAGA base — the voters who see Trump not just as a political leader but as a personal champion. We dive into the cultural, emotional, and economic drivers of this loyalty and why, despite economic uncertainty and political chaos, Trump’s most fervent supporters remain more committed than ever. We also examine how right-wing media outlets fuel this devotion, framing Trump’s actions as a battle against liberal elites and a defense of so-called “real” Americans.

In This Episode:

• The MAGA Worldview: How Trump’s chaotic first 100 days are seen as a period of long-overdue action and promises fulfilled
• Why They Stay Loyal: It’s not about policies — it’s about feeling seen, heard, and defended against cultural elites
• Justifying the Harm: Economic pain is reframed as a necessary sacrifice in the fight against liberal elites and globalists
• Power and Authoritarianism: Why Trump’s authoritarian moves aren’t seen as threats — but as course corrections
• Media Manipulation: How right-wing media outlets keep the MAGA base focused on cultural grievances while distracting them from policies that benefit the wealthy
• The “Aha” Moment: Bella shares a surprising insight she gained while writing this episode — and why it’s changed her perspective, if only a little

Why It Matters:
Trump’s base isn’t just holding steady — it’s digging in. Understanding the emotional and cultural roots of this loyalty is crucial to grasping how Trump maintains control over a fractured Republican Party. For these voters, Trump’s chaos isn’t a liability — it’s a strategy. He’s the one politician who tells them they’re not the problem — they’re the victims of a rigged system. And that belief is more powerful than policy, data, or even economic reality.

Next Episode – Episode 27: “Trump’s 100 Days – A Reality Check”
In Episode 27, we turn to the critics — the millions of Americans who see Trump’s first 100 days as a disaster for democracy. We’ll examine how his power grabs, regulatory rollbacks, and attacks on institutions are being f

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

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Episode Summary:
In the first of a four-part series examining Donald Trump’s second-term first 100 days, Episode 25 of Surviving Trumptakes us into the minds of the Wealth Protectors — the high-income donors, corporate executives, and conservative insiders who see Trump as a powerful tool to protect their interests and expand their influence. This episode unpacks how these elites view Trump as a strategic asset, a bulldozer clearing a path for profit and deregulation. We examine why they’re thrilled with Trump’s aggressive moves, how they justify the harm caused to democracy and working-class Americans, and why, despite his chaos, they remain loyal to a leader who serves their bottom line.

In This Episode:

• How Wealth Protectors view the first 100 days: A once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape government for profit
• The reasons they remain loyal to Trump, despite his chaos — and why it’s all about the returns
• How they justify the harm caused to the economy and democracy as “necessary disruption”
• Their perspective on Trump’s authoritarian moves: not a threat, but a long-overdue power correction
• How they define democracy: a system designed to protect capital, not people

Why It Matters:
Understanding how Trump’s Wealth Protectors view his presidency is crucial to grasping why they’re willing to overlook — or even encourage — authoritarian moves and democratic backsliding. For them, Trump isn’t just a politician; he’s a means to an end, a bulldozer clearing the way for profits and power consolidation. As Trump solidifies his control, their influence grows — and democracy erodes. This episode provides essential context for anyone trying to understand the forces behind Trump’s continued dominance and the high-stakes consequences for American governance.

Next Episode – Episode 26: “The MAGA Base – Trump’s Devoted Followers”
In the next episode, we shift from the boardrooms to the bleachers. If the Wealth Protectors are driven by strategy and profit, the MAGA base is driven by identity, emotion, and a sense of belonging. We’ll explore why Trump’s working-class supporters feel seen and heard under his rule — and why they’re more loyal than ever, even a

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

Community :

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Episode Summary:
Some of the most powerful figures in Trump’s national security circle don’t hold formal titles. They don’t lead federal agencies or appear in press briefings — but their influence is vast. In Part One of this episode, we meet the "whisperers" behind Trump’s authoritarian shift: Stephen Miller, Russell Vought, Ric Grenell, and Peter Navarro. 

In Part Two, we dive into Signalgate — a stunning security breach where top officials coordinated a military strike using an unsecured messaging app. Sensitive information was leaked. Allies were outraged. 

In This Episode:

Part One: The Whisperers

• Stephen Miller: Architect of surveillance and domestic control, expanding Trump’s power through legal maneuvers and fear-based policy.
• Russell Vought: The budget master behind Project 2025, weaponizing federal spending to punish dissent and reward loyalty.
• Ric Grenell: Diplomatic disruptor with a vague but powerful title — bypassing institutions and politicizing foreign affairs.
• Peter Navarro: Economic nationalist pushing isolationist policies under the banner of national security.

Part Two: Signalgate

• The Breach: Top officials used a Signal group chat to coordinate real-time military operations — including sensitive CIA details.
• The Response: Denials, deflections, and a released transcript that shattered the administration’s narrative.
• The Strike Zone: A costly, ineffective mission that revealed poor planning and wasteful execution.
• The Fallout: Damaged alliances, legal violations, institutional breakdowns — and a military spread dangerously thin.
• What It Reveals: A government running on loyalty over law, secrecy over strategy, and denial over discipline.

Why It Matters:
This is the conclusion of our three-part national security series. We’ve traced how Trump’s second term is redefining what it means to protect the country — not through competence, but through control. From gutting institutions to empowering unqualified loyalists, this administration is building a security state designed to serve one man, not the nation.

Next Episode: 
We’ll turn our attention to another urgent issue — one that’s prob

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

Community :

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Episode Summary:

In this second installment of our three-part national security series, we examine the people now leading America’s most powerful security agencies. These aren’t leaders chosen for experience or qualifications. They’re chosen for loyalty — and that shift has turned national security on its head.

From purged intelligence staff and photo-op border raids to encrypted chat scandals and weaponized institutions, this episode reveals how Donald Trump has stacked the national security deck with loyalists. These officials aren’t just carrying out policy. They’re reshaping the very function of our defense, intelligence, and justice systems — often in ways that put the country at risk.

We walk through the team member by member: who they are, what they’ve done, and why it matters. 

In This Episode:

• How Laura Loomer helped purge national security staff and got a general fired — without clearance or evidence
• Mike Waltz’s chaotic Pentagon purge and the origins of “Signalgate”
• Marco Rubio’s triple-role conflict and complicity in record destruction
• Pete Hegseth’s politicization of military culture and the border stunt that wasted millions
• Tulsi Gabbard’s shift toward authoritarian-friendly rhetoric — and why her calm demeanor might be the most dangerous part
• Kristi Noem’s performative homeland security — armored vehicles, propaganda raids, and weakened cyber defenses
• Kash Patel’s quiet dismantling of the FBI and centralization of political power
• Steve Witkoff’s rise from real estate developer to Trump’s Middle East envoy — and his string of geopolitical blunders

Why It Matters:

National security depends on professionalism, integrity, and independent judgment. What we see now is the opposite: an environment where political loyalty trumps competence, and personal allegiance dictates policy. That’s not just a personnel problem — it’s a structural collapse.

Next Episode:

In Episode 24, we go behind the scenes to look at the whisperers — the unelected influencers shaping Trump’s national security strategy. Plus, we dive deep into Signalgate, the most serious intelligence breach of Trump’s second term.

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

Community :

• Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – Your feedback helps us reach more people. Click to review.
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Episode Summary:
In this opening episode of our three-part national security series, we go back to basics — defining what national security actually is, how it’s evolved over time, and what it’s supposed to protect us from. We walk through the full range of threats facing America in 2025 — from cyberattacks and domestic extremism to climate collapse and geopolitical instability — and show how the system meant to keep us safe is being radically reshaped.

National security is no longer just about tanks and troops. It’s about energy grids, supply chains, clean water, elections, and public health. And under Donald Trump’s leadership, the institutions that manage these threats are being dismantled — on purpose. From Project 2025 to loyalty tests, this isn’t just a shift in policy. It’s an authoritarian takeover of the system that protects us all.

In This Episode:

• What national security actually is — and how it’s evolved from Cold War defense to cyber, health, and climate resilience
• How America’s national security system is supposed to function 
• The real threat landscape in 2025, from homegrown extremism to global cyber warfare
• Why Trump’s second-term vision rejects institutional competence and replaces it with personal loyalty
• How Project 2025 and Stephen Miller’s ideology are weaponizing national security from the inside

Why It Matters:
This episode sets the stage for the next two in our national security series. Before we meet the people Trump has placed in charge (Episode 23), or assess the fallout from their actions (Episode 24), we need to understand the foundations of national security itself.

Next Episode:
Episode 23: Trump’s National Security Team – Inexperienced, Ideological, and In Charge
We’ll meet the new cast of national security power players — from loyalists like Kash Patel and Stephen Miller to headline-grabbers like Kristi Noem, Pete Hegseth and Steve Witkoff. 

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Host: Bella Goode

Bella is a former Republican turned democracy advocate raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania with a masters of business administration from Wharton and a Masters Degree in Positive Psychology.

Career wise, Bella spent 20 years with American Express in New York and 20 years as an entrepreneur. She started and sold a fitness business that grew to 180 locations worldwide.

Community :

• Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – Your feedback helps us reach more people. Click to review.
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• Share this episode – If you found this podcast valuable, send it to a friend and tag us on social media.
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