The Heritage Foundation is experiencing a mass departure of legal and economic policy staff—more than 30 employees have resigned or been dismissed—and many are moving to Mike Pence’s Advancing American Freedom. The exodus follows President Kevin Roberts' refusal to retract comments defending Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes and has prompted trustees and donors to withdraw support. The turmoil has intensified a broader debate within the conservative movement over identitarianism, acceptable rhetoric, and the future direction of the GOP.
Mass Exodus at Heritage Foundation Exposes Deep Rifts in the New Right
Heritage Foundation Undergoes Mass Staff Exodus as Cracks Open on the New Right
Nearly the entire legal and economic policy apparatus at the Heritage Foundation has been upended in a rapid, high-profile exodus that underscores growing ideological fractures within the conservative movement. More than 30 staffers across multiple policy centers have either resigned or been dismissed in recent days, and many are reported to be joining Advancing American Freedom (AAF), the group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence.
What Triggered the Departures
The mass departures are widely linked to Heritage president Kevin Roberts' refusal to retract an October video in which he defended Tucker Carlson for conducting a congenial interview with Nick Fuentes, an influential figure accused of antisemitism. Pence told The Wall Street Journal, "Why these people are coming our way is that Heritage and some other voices and commentators have embraced big-government populism and have been willing to tolerate antisemitism." AAF has said it raised more than $10 million in a few weeks to fund the new hires.
Who Left—and Who Stayed
Staff exits spanned several Heritage units, including the Institute for Constitutional Government, the Ed Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, the Center for Data Analysis, the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, and the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget. Among those who left were Amy Swearer, who publicly told Roberts she had lost confidence in his leadership during an all-staff meeting that later leaked to the press, and John Malcolm, a vice president and the foundation's top legal scholar, who was reportedly fired after planning to depart for AAF. E.J. Antoni—briefly President Trump's nominee for Commissioner of Labor Statistics—will remain and serve as acting director for several teams.
Trustees, Donors, And Institutional Fallout
The personnel turmoil has been accompanied by resignations from three trustees: Princeton professor Robert P. George, businessman Shane McCullar, and philanthropist Abby Spencer Moffat. Sources say Moffat has withdrawn millions in funding, and other donors are reported to have pulled support as well. Last month, an antisemitism task force cut ties with the think tank.
"Your actions have made my continued affiliation with Heritage untenable," wrote Josh Blackman in a resignation letter posted at The Volokh Conspiracy, explaining his decision to step down as senior editor of The Heritage Guide to the Constitution.
Broader Political Stakes
The departures are one of several signs of instability within what commentators call the New Right. Prominent conservative intellectuals and activists—Henry Olsen, Oren Cass, Ben Shapiro, Vivek Ramaswamy, and others—have publicly criticized the movement's direction, especially its apparent tolerance for identitarian rhetoric and figures associated with antisemitism. The dispute is not only about personality or personalities; it reflects deeper disagreements over the shape of conservatism, including the role of populism, economic policy, and the place of identity-based arguments in political discourse.
Some critics who oppose the identitarian turn nonetheless support free-market policies, while others reject "market fundamentalism," illustrating that the split is not a simple libertarian-versus-populist divide. Observers note the irony that some figures now decrying these trends helped create environments where controversial voices could flourish, yet recent resignations and resignations by trustees and donors suggest meaningful limits are being enforced within parts of the conservative movement.
Heritage's Response And What Comes Next
Heritage issued a statement defending its approach: "Heritage has always welcomed debate, but alignment on mission and loyalty to the institution are non‑negotiable," the think tank said in a message published by National Review. For Kevin Roberts, the fallout represents a substantial leadership challenge. For the broader political scene, the shake-up highlights a contested moment for the GOP and the New Right as groups and individuals decide where to draw lines around acceptable rhetoric and policy priorities.
The original piece, "Heritage Foundation Undergoes Mass Staff Exodus as Cracks Open on the New Right," first appeared on Reason.com.
