Robert P. George, a prominent conservative legal scholar, has resigned from the Heritage Foundation’s board in protest of its president Kevin Roberts’ defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with far-right white nationalist Nick Fuentes. George, who holds one of Princeton University’s top academic chairs and is considered a leading figure in conservative constitutional thought, cited Roberts’ refusal to fully retract his comments as the key reason for his departure.

In a Facebook post announcing his resignation, George wrote, “I could not remain without a full retraction of the video released by Kevin Roberts, speaking for and in the name of Heritage, on October 30th.” Although Roberts had publicly apologized for some of his remarks, George noted that the apology did not go far enough to address the full content of the video, which included Roberts’ defense of Carlson’s controversial interview with Fuentes, a man notorious for his extremist views, including Holocaust denial and repeated antisemitic statements.

George’s resignation marks the latest in a series of defections from the Heritage Foundation, a leading conservative think tank, following the release of Roberts’ video. In the clip, Roberts rejected calls to distance the organization from Carlson and Fuentes, insisting that the group would not “cancel” either figure. The backlash was swift, with at least seven staffers, fellows, and task-force members resigning, including members of Heritage’s National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. The controversy also saw the departure of Roberts’ chief of staff, who had publicly amplified posts attacking internal critics.

The turmoil erupted after Carlson’s podcast interview with Fuentes, which sparked widespread outrage due to Fuentes’ extremist ideology. In the video, Roberts described critics of the interview as a “venomous coalition,” language that some Heritage staff and outside conservatives said echoed antisemitic tropes. While Roberts later apologized for the choice of words, the damage had been done. The think tank, once regarded as one of the most disciplined and influential in the conservative movement, now faces a very public crisis.

In his resignation letter, George referred to Roberts as “a good man” who had made “a serious mistake,” but ultimately, the two could not reconcile their differences over what was required to remedy the situation. George’s exit has further deepened the rift within the Heritage Foundation, which now finds itself at the center of a broader debate over its role in conservative circles and its relationship with far-right figures like Carlson and Fuentes.

A Heritage spokesperson praised George for his service, expressing hope for future collaboration despite the current disagreement. “Under the leadership of Dr. Roberts, Heritage remains resolute in building an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish,” the spokesperson said. “We are strong, growing, and more determined than ever to fight for our republic.”

However, the foundation’s internal unrest shows no signs of abating. The fallout continued in the days following Roberts’ remarks, with high-profile resignations including those of distinguished fellow Chris DeMuth and senior visiting fellow Stephen Moore. The resignations culminated in a tense all-staff meeting, where Roberts faced calls to step down. Despite apologizing to staff and acknowledging his mistake, Roberts asserted that he felt a responsibility to lead the organization through the crisis, rather than resign.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)