WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hopes of a seamless MAGA-powered hiring blitz for a future Trump administration hit a minor snag this week, as leaked Heritage Foundation documents revealed that several Project 2025 applicants cited Nazi theorists, fascist lifestyle influencers, and the occasional alt-right recipe blogger as primary sources of political inspiration—shocking absolutely no one except themselves.

“I thought name-dropping Carl Schmitt next to my proficiency in Excel would make me stand out,” lamented 27-year-old applicant Bryce DeVries, who insisted his ‘Mein Kampf Book Club’ was only for the snacks. “I guess it’s still too soon.”

A review of application materials from the Project 2025 talent pool found that 24% of resumes included at least one reference to thinkers best known for their work in the 1930s, and 7% boasted an “inspirational” wallpaper of Mussolini. In a statement, Heritage Foundation HR chief Jillian Merton emphasized, “We were hoping applicants would cite the Founding Fathers, not the Führer. It’s embarrassing, and frankly, the uniforms clash.”

Other candidates struggled to clarify their sources. “When I said I was inspired by ‘classic European thought,’ I meant, uh, Shakespeare,” explained one hopeful, sweat visibly soaking his red hat. Meanwhile, Project director Trevor Rowley admitted the pool had gotten a little murky, but insisted, “We’re still confident we can fill all roles with people who’ve at least heard of democracy, or can spell it.”

At press time, the Heritage Foundation announced a rebranding of Project 2025 as “Project 2025: But Not THAT Far Right, Please.”