Heritage Foundation in Turmoil as President Defends Controversial Fox Host Amid Internal Uproar

By Newsmax Wires | Monday, 03 November 2025 11:12 PM EST

The Heritage Foundation, a pivotal conservative think tank in Washington, faces internal chaos after its president, Kevin Roberts, publicly supported Tucker Carlson following the former Fox News host’s divisive interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes. The New York Post reported that Roberts’ defense of Carlson—despite widespread condemnation of Fuentes’ antisemitic and extremist views—has sparked resignations, staff outrage, and demands from board members for Roberts to step down.

Internal chats reviewed by the Post revealed senior Heritage staff describing themselves as “embarrassed” and “disgusted” by Roberts’ response to Carlson’s two-hour interview with Fuentes, who has denied the Holocaust and praised totalitarian leaders. One staffer wrote, “This is the most embarrassed I’ve ever been to be a Heritage employee. It’s not close,” while another called Roberts’ defense “ridiculous” and questioned how such a “premeditated and orchestrated response” could emerge from a leading conservative institution.

The controversy erupted after Carlson’s interview with Fuentes, which amassed over 17 million views on X. In the discussion, Fuentes praised Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, attacked “organized Jewry,” and dismissed Christian support for Israel. Carlson accused American Christians backing the Jewish state of being “heretics” afflicted by a “brain virus.”

Three days later, Roberts released a video statement condemning attempts to “cancel our own people” and defending Carlson as a “close friend of the Heritage Foundation.” His remarks, viewed over 23 million times, labeled the backlash against Carlson as “venomous” and “sowing division.” While Roberts claimed to abhor Fuentes’ rhetoric, he argued that canceling him was not the solution.

The statement intensified internal fury. One staffer wrote, “If we are labeled on the same side as Nick Fuentes, then we deserve to lose,” while another accused Roberts of “playing footsie with literal Nazis.” The fallout has already led to departures, including Roberts’ chief of staff, Ryan Neuhaus, who was reassigned and later resigned. Jewish scholar David Bernstein, a former member of Heritage’s anti-antisemitism task force, also left, criticizing Roberts’ remarks as an attack on Jewish political agency.

Donor support has dwindled, with evangelical Christian and Jewish contributors distancing themselves. References to Heritage’s sponsorship of “The Tucker Carlson Network” have been removed from its donations page. Prominent board members, including Princeton professor Robert P. George, have called for Roberts’ removal, condemning the rise of white supremacy and hatred within conservative circles.

Despite the turmoil, Heritage maintains Roberts retains board support. A spokesperson stated, “Heritage’s Board of Trustees continues to support Dr. Roberts and our entire team.” The think tank is set to hold a staff town hall where Roberts will address the controversy directly.

The crisis highlights deepening fractures within the conservative movement, as figures like Sen. Ted Cruz warn of escalating antisemitism on the right.