A senior conservative legal scholar who holds one of Princeton University’s top academic chairs has resigned from the Heritage Foundation’s board in protest of the think tank president’s defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Robert P. George, long regarded as one of the right’s leading constitutional thinkers, is the latest figure to step down amid an internal revolt that has already prompted at least seven other staffers, fellows and task force members to sever ties.
His departure came after a leaked video showed Heritage president Kevin Roberts standing behind Carlson in the wake of the host’s podcast appearance with Fuentes.
Robert P. George, a conservative scholar, quit the Heritage Foundation’s board after the think tank’s president Kevin Roberts continued support of Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Bloomberg via Getty Images
“I have resigned from the board of the Heritage Foundation. 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,” George wrote in a Facebook post announcing his departure.
“Although Kevin publicly apologized for some of what he said in the video, he could not offer a full retraction of its content. So, we reached an impasse,” he added.
George’s exit is just the latest sign of a widening rupture inside the conservative policy powerhouse, which has been hit by a series of defections since Roberts released the video defending Carlson.
In the clip, Roberts rejected calls to distance Heritage from the former Fox News host and insisted the group would not “cancel” either Carlson or Fuentes, whose extremist record includes Holocaust denial and repeated antisemitic statements.
The backlash was immediate. Members of Heritage’s National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism quit en masse, several scholars and fellows publicly walked away, and Roberts’ own chief of staff stepped down after amplifying posts attacking internal critics.
George resigned from the Heritage Foundation’s board in protest of the think tank president’s defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes. REUTERS
The turmoil has escalated into an unusually public internal crisis for the Washington-based institution, long considered one of the movement’s most disciplined and influential think tanks.
“Kevin is a good man. He made what he acknowledged was a serious mistake,” George wrote in his resignation note.
“Being human myself, I have plenty of experience in making mistakes. What divided us was a difference of opinion about what was required to rectify the mistake.”
Carlson recently interviewed Nick Fuentes, a far-right white nationalist, on his podcast, sparking outrage. Nathan Posner/Shutterstock
A spokesperson for Heritage praised George and thanked him for “his service” to the foundation.
“He is a good man, and we look forward to opportunities to work together in the future,” the spokesperson told the online publication The Hill.
“Under the leadership of Dr. Roberts, Heritage remains resolute in building an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish. We are strong, growing, and more determined than ever to fight for our republic.”
Roberts’ remarks in the Oct. 30 video triggered a swift internal revolt.
Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, defended Carlson’s interview with Fuentes — prompting a wave of resignations. AP
In the recording, he pushed back at criticism of Carlson’s interview with Fuentes and described those objecting as a “venomous coalition” — language that several Heritage staffers and outside conservatives said echoed antisemitic tropes.
Roberts later apologized for the phrasing and said it was a “terrible choice of words.” His apology, however, failed to stem the tide of resignations.
Yesterday I said that I abhorred views expressed by Nick Fuentes—and that the best way to fight antisemitic ideas was to challenge them head on.
Fuentes replied on X by saying “I don’t know what exactly you ‘abhor’ about my views.” Allow me to elaborate—because there is plenty…
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) October 31, 2025
At least five members of Heritage’s antisemitism task force quit in the days that followed, according to multiple outlets.
Distinguished fellow Chris DeMuth and senior visiting fellow Stephen Moore also left the institution.
Roberts’ chief of staff, Ryan Neuhaus, stepped down after reposting social media messages urging internal critics to quit if they were “so outraged.”
A Heritage spokesperson later confirmed Neuhaus had offered his resignation.
The backlash intensified during a tense all-staff meeting last week, where Roberts faced repeated calls to step aside.
According to a video obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, employees questioned whether he could continue leading the group and said the controversy had inflicted “enormous damage” on Heritage’s reputation.
Roberts apologized to staff and said he “made a mistake,” while asserting that he felt a responsibility to guide the institution through the turmoil rather than resign.