More than a dozen senior staff members at the influential Heritage Foundation have resigned en masse, marking one of the most dramatic internal crises in the organization’s recent history. The departing employees, many of whom led Heritage’s legal, economic, and data analysis teams, are making their way to Advancing American Freedom (AAF), a think tank founded by former Vice President Mike Pence. The exodus, which unfolded in December 2025, exposes deep fractures within the conservative movement—particularly over how to handle the growing visibility of extremist voices and the future direction of the MAGA coalition.
The spark for this upheaval was a controversy involving Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts. In October 2025, Roberts released a video defending conservative commentator Tucker Carlson’s decision to interview Nick Fuentes, a far-right activist and avowed white nationalist who has publicly praised Adolf Hitler. According to Axios and BERITAJA, Roberts argued that engagement, rather than ostracism, was the appropriate response to such figures. That stance triggered a wave of criticism both inside and outside the organization, with many accusing Heritage’s leadership of normalizing extremist voices and failing to draw clear moral boundaries. The backlash was swift and fierce, particularly given Fuentes’s widely condemned antisemitic views.
Roberts eventually issued multiple apologies, including a video message on November 6 and subsequent staff meetings. In these, he acknowledged that his response had caused harm. However, he did not formally sever institutional ties with Carlson, instead reiterating Heritage’s opposition to antisemitism while describing Carlson as a “close friend” in a personal capacity. This distinction failed to quell internal dissent. According to Axios, the controversy also drew criticism from other conservative figures, such as Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA and Ben Shapiro, who argued that platforming Fuentes was damaging to the broader MAGA movement.
The fallout was immediate and severe. In a Sunday night email to staff, Roberts acknowledged that “most of our legal and economic centres” were departing immediately, and noted that the manner of their departures “speaks volumes.” While many staffers resigned voluntarily, Heritage leadership maintains that some employees were terminated for “conduct inconsistent with the organization’s mission and standards.” The exits included not only key policy experts but also three trustees from the board, who stepped down in protest over what they described as an inadequate response to antisemitism and growing reputational damage. Judges and senior officials reportedly began distancing themselves from Heritage events and programs, signaling a broader loss of standing within conservative legal and academic circles.
Many of the departing staffers have landed at Advancing American Freedom, Pence’s upstart think tank. On December 22, AAF announced it had hired at least 13 former Heritage employees, including the leaders of the legal, economic, and data teams. According to BERITAJA and Axios, AAF raised $13 million toward a $15 million goal in just two weeks to help fund the new hires’ salaries for the next three years, expanding its staff from 18 to more than 30. AAF President Tim Chapman told BERITAJA that the organization is bolstering its research team to fill what it sees as a gap in the modern conservative movement, which has been roiled by debates over ideology, foreign policy, and the influence of right-wing personalities.
In a statement, Pence welcomed the new hires, saying they “bring a wealth of experience, a love of country, and a deep commitment to the Constitution and Conservative Movement that will further the cause of liberty.” Chapman added, “I think what’s happening right now is that a movement that has oriented itself around political personalities and specific political leaders is starting to realize that those leaders are not going to be here forever, whether it’s President Trump or other leaders. There is an end date on their leadership… And so the question is now popping up, what is it that the movement after that leadership structure, what is it that that movement stands for after that?” (BERITAJA).
AAF has positioned itself as a home for traditional conservative principles—lower taxes, strong national defense, limited regulation, and the rule of law—staking out territory that Heritage once dominated before the rise of Trump-era populism. Pence himself told The Wall Street Journal and Axios that the staffers left Heritage because of its “willingness to tolerate antisemitism,” its support for some tariffs, and a shift toward isolationism, including what he described as a move away from supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia. An AAF spokesperson confirmed to Axios that this was an accurate framing of Pence’s perspective.
The Heritage Foundation, for its part, has pushed back strongly against critics. In a statement to Axios, a spokesperson said, “Heritage has always welcomed debate, but alignment on mission and loyalty to the institution are non-negotiable. A handful of staff chose a different path—some through disruption, others through disloyalty.” Chief Advancement Officer Andy Olivastro echoed this sentiment in a statement to BERITAJA, accusing some departing members of “disloyalty” and asserting that the departures “clear the way for a stronger, more focused team.” Heritage also noted that some of the employees who joined AAF were terminated for conduct inconsistent with its mission and standards. “America is at a turning point. Heritage is building the team that will deliver—not for yesterday’s fights, but for tomorrow’s victories. We are united, disciplined, and ready. Onward and upward,” the spokesperson added.
The crisis at Heritage has not gone unnoticed by the broader conservative establishment. A task force focused on fighting antisemitism recently cut ties with the foundation over concerns about the handling of extremist influences. Heritage’s influential role in the Trump administration, particularly through its Project 2025 policy blueprint, has also come under scrutiny as the think tank grapples with its identity in the post-Trump era.
Underlying all of this is a wider identity crisis within American conservatism. For decades, organizations like Heritage acted as gatekeepers, keeping fringe actors at arm’s length to protect electoral viability. Now, as the MAGA movement debates its future and its relationship to extremism, the walkout at Heritage serves as one of the clearest signs yet of a movement in flux. The departure of so many senior staff to a rival think tank founded by a former vice president underscores the high stakes—and the deep uncertainty—surrounding the conservative movement’s next chapter.
As the dust settles, both Heritage and Advancing American Freedom are staking their claims to the future of conservatism. Whether the split leads to renewed focus or greater fragmentation remains to be seen, but for now, the battle for the soul of the right is playing out in real time, with the rest of the country watching closely.
