Heritage Foundation leader apologizes for backing Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist | Tucker Carlson

The leader of the conservative think tank behind Project 2025 has apologized for supporting a white nationalist amid turmoil on the right over the mainstreaming of extremist ideology, but is resisting calls to resign.

Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, previously defended former Fox host Tucker Carlson for appearing on Hitler fan Nick Fuentes’ podcast without challenging his white supremacist views.

Inside leaked images At the Heritage town hall opening Wednesday, staffers largely said Roberts’ decision to align the think tank with Fuentes was a mistake. “I made a mistake and I have let you and this institution down. Period. Full Stop,” he told Heritage staff.

He also claimed he “didn’t know much” about Fuentes. I recorded a video and published the message on X in which he defended Carlson as a “close friend of the Heritage Foundation.” He said the script for the video was written by a chief of staff who has since resigned.

Some called for his resignation. Roberts, who has a doctorate in history and spearheaded the right-wing manifesto called Project 2025, has taken the foundation to a more Trumpian stance since joining in 2021.

He told X that he would not resign from his position, writing: “I stay. I’m all in.”

Washington Post reports It was stated that “at least” five members of the organization’s antisemitism task force resigned in protest. A staff member at the internal meeting described the issue as “the last straw”.

Roberts has previously called those speaking out against Carlson a “toxic coalition”; He later said the harsh statement was a “terrible choice of words” that caused “justifiable concern” among those concerned about the rise of antisemitism.

Fuentes, who has been ostracized by the mainstream right for his views, including his support for Hitler and claims that Jews run the country, said on Carlson’s podcast that “organized Judaism” has great influence and that he is an admirer of Joseph Stalin. Fuentes’ appearance on Carlson’s podcast offended the right; many saw the interview as a new invitation of extremist views to mainstream conservatism.

While Roberts supported Carlson, he said he disagreed with Fuentes’ views and was even “disgusted.” .

Roberts later wrote a detailed article about X explaining the depth of Fuentes’ extremist views.

“Fuentes used outlandish analogies to cast doubt on the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust and said, ‘I think the Holocaust is exaggerated. I don’t hate Hitler,'” Roberts wrote. “Fuentes called for the death penalty for ‘treacherous Jews’ and other non-Christians, stating that ‘when we come to power, they should be given the death penalty.’

In one speech, he said: “No matter what the ambassador, everyone has a responsibility to speak out against the scourge of anti-Semitism. Heritage and I will do so, even if my friend Tucker Carlson needs to challenge.” video Published on X

During the Q&A portion of Wednesday’s town hall, the longtime Heritage staffer, identified by the Washington Free Beacon as Robert Rector, recalled conservative writer William F Buckley Jr.’s limits for the conservative movement: eliminate all antisemitism and “deport the crazy people.”

“And now we have them back,” the Rector said. “Tucker Carlson is the thing here…Tucker’s show is like stepping into an insane asylum.”

The full video of the town hall was leaked to the press. Some at Heritage I said A culture of infighting and leaks to the media has eroded people’s ability to have difficult conversations.

Roberts tried to portray the turmoil as a necessary conversation: “Movements like ours are not weakened by adversity. We are made stronger by it. Let’s take what we’ve learned. Let’s recommit and win once and for all.”