Conservative organizations, including the Heritage Foundation and American Principles Project, are advocating for a federal ban on adult content production and distribution, with some leaders suggesting former President Donald Trump is an "imperfect instrument" to achieve this goal despite his past interactions with adult performers.

Advocates See Trump as Vehicle for Porn Ban

Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative group behind Project 2025, told CNN that Donald Trump's past interactions with adult performers do not disqualify him from implementing their plan to criminalize all production and distribution of adult content. Roberts stated, "We understand Our Lord works with imperfect instruments, including us." He added that "while on the surface it seems like a contradiction, on the whole, it may make him a more powerful messenger if he embraces it."

This perspective is part of a CNN report by Steve Contorno, which examines Trump's relationship with anti-porn allies amidst a trial concerning funds allegedly used to cover up a sexual encounter with adult performer Stormy Daniels. Contorno wrote that if some of the former president’s allies succeed, a second Trump term could severely impact the adult industry, potentially leading to the incarceration of its actors and producers.

Roberts indicated to CNN that while he has not directly discussed a porn ban with Trump, he has communicated with the campaign. He noted an alignment among those with policy influence, including Ben Carson, the former secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Roberts also stated that "without being presumptuous of the president’s will, there will at least be conversations" about a porn ban "being a priority we can tackle."

John McEntee, a senior advisor to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 and a former key figure in the first Trump administration, has predicted an eventual full ban on pornography. McEntee told a podcaster that pornography is "the elephant in the room, which is a stain on not only society but the entire dating culture as well." He claimed that "whenever America bans that, which will be happening at some point, everyone will be much better off," and that "this country will flourish" once it is enacted. The introduction to Project 2025’s "Mandate for Leadership" blueprint document declares that pornography "has no claim to First Amendment protection" and should be outlawed.

Project 2025 and Allied Efforts

Project 2025, established on April 21, 2022, is a conservative political initiative in the United States. Its parent organization is the Heritage Foundation. The project's publication, "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise," was released in 2023. Project 2025 has a budget of $22 million and focuses on the recruitment and training of government workers loyal to Donald Trump.

The CNN report also cited Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project, who believes a second Trump administration would offer "a very good opportunity" to advance their agenda. XBIZ reported that Schilling has claimed his group is behind the current Republican-led book-banning movement, with a goal to remove what he terms "pornography" from libraries. In July, Schilling took credit for the recent passage of age verification laws in several states. In September, he informed a right-wing site that the ultimate aim of these state age verification laws is to establish a private right of action, enabling parents to sue online companies if their children access adult content. He admitted that the state laws serve as experiments for a future Republican U.S. attorney general to prosecute individuals uploading adult content accessible to minors.

Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Points USA, has also made curbing pornography a recurring focus of his podcast.

Trump Campaign Response

The Trump campaign has sought to minimize the influence of the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025, and American Principles Project on a potential future Trump administration. Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, top advisors to the Trump campaign, issued a statement to CNN: "Let us be very specific here: unless a message is coming directly from President Trump or an authorized member of his campaign team, no aspect of future presidential staffing or policy announcements should be deemed official."

Key Facts

  • Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, views Donald Trump as an "imperfect instrument" for a porn ban.
  • Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation initiative, advocates for criminalizing all adult content production and distribution.
  • Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project, supports a second Trump administration to advance an anti-porn agenda, including age verification laws and book bans.
  • John McEntee, a senior advisor to Project 2025, has predicted an eventual full ban on pornography, claiming it would benefit the country.
  • The Trump campaign has stated that only direct messages from Trump or authorized campaign members should be considered official policy.