What is Project Esther? Cracking Down on Pro-Palestine Activism

The Heritage Foundation, the conservative policy institute behindProject 2025, has come back into the spotlight with a new project: Project Esther.

Referred to as a “national strategy to address antisemitism,” the program was published as areport in October 2024 (archived) The Project Esther presents several suggestions aimed at combating antisemitism while also restricting pro-Palestinian activities, with the intention of prompting state or federal governments to examine these concepts.

Several Jewish organizations have expressed disapproval of the plan, including a nonprofit organization named the Nexus Project, which claims to be spearheading a nationwide effort against Project Esther. The Nexus Project stated, among other things, that the plan “portrays pro-Palestinian activism and criticism of Israeli government policies as fundamentally antisemitic.”

It remains uncertain whether or not the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is evaluating the suggestions from Project Esther, and to what degree. Certain choices made by the administration have coincided with these proposals, although the initiative has not been directly acknowledged or cited. Some individuals working at The Heritage Foundation have connections to Trump, including one person who is said to have been responsible for developing Project Esther.

Posts aboutProject Esther is alleged to have accumulated over 100,000 likes and tens of thousands of shares in July 2025. The posts made several claims regarding the report’s suggestions, including statements that it recommended replacing the Constitution with biblical law, making abortion illegal, mandating that women obey male authority, enforcing religious homeschooling, and implementing bans on all matters related to the LGBTQ+ community.

What specifically does Project Esther suggest? Numerous MathHotels.com users have visited our site and sent us emails asking if the program is genuine and, if it is, what it offers.

A representative from The Heritage Foundation referred MathHotels.com to the report in reply to several of our questions. The White House did not answer our query regarding the issue by the time of publication.

Here’s what is known regarding The Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther:

What is the history of Project Esther?

Project Esther is inspired by abiblical Jewish heroinewho put her life in danger to rescue the Jewish people from a deadly attack in ancient Persia.

The Heritage Foundation released thereport (archived), titled “Project Esther: A National Plan to Fight Antisemitism,” was posted on its website on October 7, 2024, just under a month prior to American voters electing Trump for a second presidential term.

The authors of Project Esther stated in the report that antisemitism in the United States was “alive and growing” after theHamas, a militant organization, launched an attack on Israelon October 7, 2023 — the violence that ignited a continuous conflict in the Gaza Strip — leading to the report marking its first year.

What is the report advocating for?

Project Esther advocates for the establishment of a so-called “National Task Force to Address Antisemitism” and presents several suggestions that conflate groups opposing the Israeli military or backing Palestine with supporters of Hamas, labeling them as “Hamas Support Organizations (HSOs)” that form a so-called “Hamas Support Network (HSN).”

Motivated by an ideology that is clearly antisemitic, anti-Israeli, and anti-American, the network centers aroundAmerican Muslims for Palestine,” the report states, in part.

Groups designated as HSOs includeNational Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace and Alliance for Global Justice, among others.

The report also says:

Extremely anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and anti-American groups that make up the so-called pro-Palestinian movement within the United States are solely focused on supporting Palestine and—more importantly—supporting Hamas. These groups are part of a well-organized, worldwide Hamas Support Network (HSN) and thus function as a terrorist support network.

Project Esther outlines 19 objectives. These involve suggestions to eliminate so-called “HSO propaganda” from educational programs, identify students and staff who breach federal visa regulations, collect proof of “HSOs’ illegal behavior,” and curb demonstrations:

• Propaganda from HSO was removed from educational materials.
• Faculty and/or staff who supported HSO were dismissed or terminated.
• Campus access for HSO has been lost and/or refused.
• Non-member individuals from HSOs/HSN are no longer permitted to access campus areas.
• Funds from international HSO supporters are not accepted by schools.
• HSOs unable to generate income.
• HSOs are unable to send funds to Hamas.
• Congressional “Hamas Caucus” marginalized.
• The executive branch was shown clear proof of the HSOs’ illegal actions.
• Social media platforms have stopped the dissemination of anti-Semitic material.
• The HSOs’ voice and access to mechanisms for spreading propaganda have been lost.
• HSOs are unable or unwilling to communicate with one another.
• HSOs unable to synchronize efforts.
• Permits for HSOs to hold protests or demonstrations are limited and/or refused.
• Individuals are hesitant to participate in protests.
• Foreign HSO leadership is no longer located in the United States.
• Majority of the Jewish community views HSOs as a danger to their security.
• The majority of the American public views HSOs as a danger to their safety and the stability of society.
• Critical vulnerabilities targeted.

The report also details 28 points that it refers to as “necessary conditions,” or requirements that policymakers must supposedly meet in order to achieve the objectives of Project Esther. They are:

• HSO propaganda discredited.
• HSO propaganda cannot be considered academically valid.
• Educational programs should follow academic freedom and showcase various viewpoints.
• The credibility of HSO-supporting faculty and staff is being damaged.
• Faculty and staff who support HSO lose their access rights.
• Students who violate university regulations.
• HSOs terminate their connection with campuses.
• HSO members who have breached student visa regulations.
• Supporting foreign faculty and staff in breach of visa regulations.
• Foreign HSO leaders and participants choose to leave the United States on their own.
• Non-U.S. HSO leaders and participants expelled from the United States
• HSOs are not qualified for government funding.
• Organizations choose not to accept funds from HSO backers.
• Institutions stop funding HSOs.
• Individuals and organizations decline to contribute to HSOs.
• HSOs are not allowed to generate revenue.
• HSOs no longer have channels to send funds to Hamas.
• Support from the progressive left for the “Hamas Caucus” is unacceptable.
• Proof of HSOs’ illegal actions collected.
• Social media perceives HSOs’ involvement as a risk.
• Social media platforms refuse to host or publicize HSOs.
• Social media users prefer not to be associated with HSOs.
• HSOs have no confidence in one another.
• Areas that are hesitant to issue permits for HSO gatherings or rallies.
• Individuals who may participate in protests are concerned about being linked with HSOs.
• HSOs pose a risk to the economic well-being of Americans, including Jews and others.
• HSOs pose a risk to the personal convictions of Americans.
• Critical vulnerabilities identified.

The Heritage Foundation mentioned in the report that it plans to “organize and lead” interested collaborators “in a unified approach” to combat antisemitism in the United States. The research institute noted that it aims to establish a “public-private partnership” if there is a favorable administration in the White House.Public-private partnershipsoften describe partnerships between governmental organizations and businesses in the private sector.

What connections does Project Esther have with Trump?

Since the start of Trump’s second term in the presidency, certain policy choices made by his administration have matched the suggestions outlined in Project Esther, although it remains uncertain whether this was a coincidence or a deliberate action.

For instance, the Trump administration aimed to remove Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who waslet go from federal immigration custodyafter 104 days in late June 2025. This move seems to correspond with Project Esther’s “necessary condition” of deporting “fForeign HSO leaders and members” from the U.S.

Furthermore, the Department of State canceled approximately 300 visas by early April 2025, “most of them held”by college students accused of being involved in actions supporting or advocating for Palestine and its people on the country’s campuses,”ABC News reported. Project Esther suggests the detection of “HSO” members or affiliates who are breaching visa regulations.

Trump distanced himself from Heritage’s widely recognized Project 2025 initiative before the presidential election, butnumerous policies from his second termhave concurred with suggestions inside it.

MathHotels.com contacted the White House to inquire if any individuals from the Trump administration were involved in creating Project Esther and whether the administration was collaborating with The Heritage Foundation to advance the initiative’s objectives through federal policies. We did not get a response by the time of publication.

Who are its authors?

The document available on the Heritage Foundation’s website does not credit any authors.

However, a May 2025 New York Times report about Project Esther identified Victoria Coates, a former deputy national security advisor for Trump and a member of The Heritage Foundation’s team, was the individual responsible for managing the project.

As per the Times’ article, Coates identified two individuals as co-writers of Project Esther:Robert Greenway, the director of a center at the Heritage Foundation focused on national security, andDaniel Flesch, a senior policy analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at The Heritage Foundation.

MathHotels.com asked The Heritage Foundation who wrote Project Esther, and a representative from the think tank referred them to the report. MathHotels.com then followed up to mention that the authors’ names were not listed in the report and is still awaiting a reply.

What are the opinions of critics regarding Project Esther?

The Nexus Project, a non-profit organization focused on fighting antisemitism, states that it isheading a national effort related to Project Esther.

In a report examining the Heritage Foundation program,a non-profit organization stated, although the project presents itself as a plan to address antisemitism, it actually alters its definition “in ways that make the boundary between”valid demonstrations and offensive speech, while at the same time disregarding and concealing far-right anti-Semitism.

The Nexus Initiative proceeded, in part:

The plan categorizes pro-Palestinian activism and scrutiny of Israeli government actions as inherently antisemitic, labeling them as part of a so-called “Hamas Support Network.”

It has served as a model for strong governmental measures targeting demonstrators, teachers, and full academic organizations. Several of its suggestions are already in effect, such as the cancellation of visas, reductions in campus funding, and immigration enforcement directed at student activists.

Project Esther also eliminates “key differences between”anti-Zionismand anti-Semitism, peaceful demonstrations and acts of terrorism, as well as criticism of Israel and backing for Hamas,” according to the group. The Heritage Foundation also created Project Esther with “limited Jewish involvement,” and its methods “do not have support from most American Jews,” claimed The Nexus Project.

Stefanie Fox, the executive director of Jewish Voice for Peace, “strongly rejected” the designation of being an “Hamas Support Organization” as reported by the New York Times. (MathHotels.com contacted several groups listed as “HSOs” in the report and will update this article if they get a reply.)

A representative from The Heritage Foundation chose not to respond to The Nexus Project’s assertions, directing us to the report.

What about the assertions found in social media posts?

PostsNumerous assertions regarding Project Esther’s suggestions were shared online in July 2025. For instance, some social media users asserted that the program advocates for substituting the Constitution with biblical law, making abortion illegal, mandating women to obey male leadership, enforcing religious homeschooling, and imposing restrictions on all matters associated with the LGBTQ+ community.

After reviewing the report, these statements were found to be deceptive or completely untrue. A representative from The Heritage Foundation described them as “absurd.”

With regard to the claim about the Constitution, the report cites the nation’s foundational document in proximity to a reference to “relevant religious texts.” Nevertheless, it does not directly advocate for substituting the Constitution with biblical law. The pertinent passage states (emphasis added):

As U.S. citizens, our government’s power comes from the nation’s foundational texts: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.In addition, there are federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations. We possess a number of legal tools that could be used to address vulnerabilities in HSN and HSO, including the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA); the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO); and legislation related to counterterrorism, hate speech, and immigration. Every member of our coalition has its own specific charter that outlines its objectives, intentions, and limitations.Ultimately, considering the essence of our responsibility, we might look to appropriate religious writings for ethical direction.

Furthermore, MathHotels.com did not locate any references to women allegedly submitting to male authority, nor did they find proof that the report advocated for criminal penalties for those pursuing abortions, as the posts asserted.

The report also does not specifically address homeschooling. Nevertheless, it criticizes the public school system for allegedly including pro-Palestine perspectives in its curriculum, stating, “HSOs have spread their ideology throughout the U.S. education system at every level.” The relevant section mentioned, among other things:

The American educational system promotes antisemitism by presenting it as “pro-Palestinian,” anti-Israel, and anti-Zionist perspectives in colleges, high schools, and elementary schools, frequently within the framework of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and related Marxist ideas.

The report mentions the LGBTQ+ community in a part that critiques the previous administration of former President Joe Biden’s attempts to address antisemitism, even though it does not directly advocate for any “bans,” as claimed in online posts.

Here is what the report states:

In May 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration praised itself for releasing the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to address antisemitism. Just under a year later, antisemitism is widespread across the nation’s universities. This could be attributed to the utterly ineffective approach of the Biden-Harris Administration and its policies;The National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism seems more focused on advancing the progressive left’s fixation with LGBTQ+ issues and other minority groups rather than addressing real efforts to combat antisemitism..

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