In a fascinating turn of events, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby and the finance director for the think tank behind Project 2025 both bear the name David Green. However, it's crucial to note that they are not one and the same. In November, posts began circulating across social media platforms, connecting The Heritage Foundation and Hobby Lobby. Project 2025, launched in April 2022, aims to provide a roadmap for the next conservative president to reshape the government in favor of conservative social policies. These social media posts claim that The Heritage Foundation's Director of Finance David Green also owns Hobby Lobby, a renowned retail chain specializing in crafts and home décor. Hobby Lobby has long been an advocate for various conservative causes. One such post states, "The Heritage Foundation is behind Project25. Their Director of Finance is David Green. Owner of Hobby Lobby. You know what to do."

THE QUESTION AND ANSWER

Does The Heritage Foundation's director of finance own Hobby Lobby? The answer is a resounding no. Claims suggesting that The Heritage Foundation's finance director owns Hobby Lobby are false. While the founder and current CEO of Hobby Lobby and The Heritage Foundation's director of finance both share the name David Green, they are two distinct individuals. Both, however, have ties to conservative causes. Ellen Keenan, a spokesperson for The Heritage Foundation, wrote in an email to VERIFY addressing the false online claims, stating, "No, they are not the same person." Photos on the Hobby Lobby and The Heritage Foundation websites clearly show that the two David Greens bear no resemblance to each other. Additionally, the men are not of the same age. As of April 2024, Hobby Lobby's David Green was 83 years old, according to Forbes. VERIFY couldn't confirm an exact age for The Heritage Foundation's David Green, but he appears to be much younger.

The Heritage Foundation's David Green

The Heritage Foundation's website only provides David Green's job title and his photo. Alongside his role as the director of finance, Green serves as the think tank's controller for finance and accounting. According to his LinkedIn profile, he graduated from Virginia Tech in 1994 and worked in the finance industry for over two decades before joining The Heritage Foundation. He has been with The Heritage Foundation for just over three years.

Hobby Lobby's David Green

In 1970, David Green, the founder and current CEO of Hobby Lobby, along with his wife, started selling miniature picture frames from their home. Two years later, the first official Hobby Lobby store opened in Oklahoma City. All of Green's children are also involved with Hobby Lobby. His son, Mart, serves as the ministry investment officer; his son, Steve, is the company's president; and his daughter, Darsee Lett, is the vice president of art/creative. His son-in-law, Steve Lett, is the executive vice president of Hobby Lobby. In October 2022, Green announced that he was giving away ownership of Hobby Lobby. At that time, he said that 100% of the company's voting stock was transferred to a trust.The confusion online may stem from the fact that Hobby Lobby's Green and his family have been closely aligned with conservative Christian causes over the years. In 2014, Hobby Lobby was the lead plaintiff in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case centered around the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) mandate that employers provide health insurance coverage for birth control. Green and his family argued that the mandate violated their religious beliefs as it required them to cover certain forms of contraception they considered morally objectionable. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby on June 30, 2014, affirming that certain types of companies with religious objections can avoid the contraceptives requirement in the ACA. Hobby Lobby has also donated tens of millions of dollars to religious groups over the years and is known for closing stores on Sundays. It even funded the creation of a museum dedicated to the Bible that opened in Washington, D.C., in 2017.The Associated Press contributed to this report. The VERIFY team works tirelessly to separate fact from fiction, enabling you to understand what is true and what is false. Consider subscribing to our daily newsletter, text alerts, and our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Learn More »Follow UsWant something VERIFIED?Text: 202-410-8808