Conservative titan behind Project 2025 makes extraordinary intervention in GOP civil war over Tucker Carlson
A major conservative leader’s defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes has engulfed MAGA world in a blistering civil war over free speech.
Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts released a video statement on Thursday standing by Carlson after the former Fox News host interviewed Fuentes, a far-right commentator known for spewing racist and anti-Semitic views.
The 27-year-old political commentator routinely promotes anti-Israel rhetoric and has compared the Holocaust to baking cookies.
Fuentes told Carlson that the country’s biggest challenged to unifying was ‘organized Jewry.’
Following Carlson’s interview, a coalition of prominent conservative voices have called for Carlson to be exiled from right-wing circles.
Roberts, however, denounced the ‘venomous coalition’ criticizing Carlson and said ‘their attempt to cancel him will fail.’
The Heritage Foundation is one of the most influential Republican think tanks in the country, with revenue that exceeds $100 million.
‘Christians can critique the State of Israel without being anti-Semitic, and of course, anti-Semitism should be condemned,’ Roberts said. My loyalty as a Christian and as an American is to Christ first and to America always.’
Roberts added, ‘I disagree with, and even abhor, things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer either. When we disagree with a person’s thoughts and opinions, we challenge those ideas in debate, and we have seen success in this approach as we continue to dismantle the vile ideas of the left.’
Tucker Carlson sparked major backlash across the conservative media sphere after he interviewed Nick Fuentes, a political commentator known for making anti-Semitic comments.
Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts stood by Carlson’s interview with Fuentes in a video statement posted on Thursday
Carlson attacked ‘Christian Zionists’ such as Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz for being heretics in his latest interview
Carlson, during his interview with Fuentes, disagreed with the controversial political commentator on a variety of issues, but the pair found agreement over their shared critique of Israel.
The former Fox News star slammed conservatives such as Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz for being ‘Christian Zionists,’ adding, ‘I dislike them more than anybody…because it’s Christian heresy.’
Roberts released his statement on X after speculation online suggested that Heritage had cut ties with Carlson due to a pressure campaign from pro-Israel voices.
The defense of Carlson created huge fallout in MAGA circles as pro-Israel conservative figures denounced Roberts.
‘My mother was a Heritage board member for 40 years. You have befouled her, you rancid wretch of an amoeba,’ wrote conservative editor John Podhoretz.
Meanwhile, Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks announced the group will reassess its relationship with the Heritage Foundation.
‘I am appalled, offended and disgusted that [Kevin Roberts] and Heritage would stand with Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes,’ Brooks told Jewish Insider.
Journalist Emily Schrader added, ‘Tucker Carlson is a moral coward and anyone backing him has no intellectual or moral principles. Shame on you Heritage, you have betrayed every American value that exists. An absolute embarrassment to the U.S. and everything we stand for as Americans.’
Prominent pro-Israel conservative voices are condemning Roberts’ defense of Carlson
Tablet magazine editor Park MacDougald had a very direct response to Roberts: ‘What a craven piece of sh*t.’
Other prominent conservative voices online approved of Roberts’ decision to stand by Carlson, echoing his pro-Christian sentiment.
‘Brilliant. Christ First, America Always,’ wrote Federalist CEO and co-founder Sean Davis.
The CEO of American Moment, a conservative non-profit dedicated to staffing Republican offices, also defended Roberts.
[Roberts] has been slandered, attacked, and dismissed by the conservative establishment since 2022,’ wrote Nick Solheim. ‘Once again, they’ve all been proven wrong. Kevin’s a leader for this moment, and I’ve never been more excited about where our movement is headed.’
Turning Point USA official Gabe Guidarini praised Roberts for not attacking Carlson, adding, ‘Moral courage wins.’
Fuentes, the figure at the center of this controversy, responded to Roberts’ video statement by thanking him for defending ‘open discourse.’
Fuentes thanked Roberts for ‘standing up for open discourse’
‘I don’t know what exactly you ‘abhor’ about my views, but we can all agree that free speech, Christ, and America First should be the pillars of our movement.’
‘Thank you for your courage in standing up for open discourse and defending Tucker against the Israel First Woke Right,’ Fuentes concluded.
