Heritage Foundation president admits to mistake
Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, addressed staff on Wednesday, admitting he had made a significant error regarding his controversial video defending Tucker Carlson. Despite acknowledging the backlash, he expressed his intention to remain in his position and rectify what he termed ‘the mess.’
During an internal meeting that lasted nearly two hours, Roberts stated, ‘I made a mistake and I let you down and I let down this institution, and I am sorry for that. Period. Full stop.’ The meeting was private, but footage of Roberts’ comments was quickly leaked to various media outlets.
Despite increasing pressure for him to resign following his October 30 video defending Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes, Roberts indicated he plans to stay. He told the board of trustees that it is his ‘moral obligation’ to address the situation.
Amy Swearer, a senior legal fellow at Heritage, voiced concerns during the meeting, stating some employees wished for Roberts to step down but were hesitant to express their views openly. She criticized him for demonstrating a lack of courage and judgment in handling the situation.
Conversely, some staff members supported Roberts. Mike Gonzalez acknowledged his dislike for the video but urged him not to resign, receiving applause from others present.
Roberts also apologized for referring to critics as a ‘venomous coalition,’ calling it a poor choice of words. He admitted that Heritage had previously partnered with Carlson while also collaborating with pro-Israel commentator Mark Levin during contentious times.
The Israel Innovation Fund announced its withdrawal from the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism due to Roberts’ continued defense of Carlson. Additionally, StopAntisemitism called for his immediate resignation over what they deemed a failure in leadership.
In previous statements at Hillsdale College, Roberts reiterated that he would not cancel individuals based on their views while emphasizing loyalty toward friends. During the staff meeting, he appeared to shift some blame onto Ryan Neuhaus, his former chief of staff who resigned recently.
Now that this month’s all-staff meeting has been leaked, I hope the so-called journalists report on this part too.
The four co-chairs of Heritage’s antisemitism task force have urged Roberts to remove the controversial video from social media and apologize publicly. They also suggested hosting Shabbat dinners aimed at fostering dialogue about Judeo-Christian traditions among junior staff members.
