By Sam Barron | Monday, 03 November 2025 04:51 PM EST
A top staffer at the Heritage Foundation is resigning, following Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts’ defense of Tucker Carlson after he generated controversy by interviewing an antisemitic white nationalist.
Ryan Neuhaus, who served as Roberts’ chief of staff, has left his position at the influential right-wing think tank. A Heritage spokesperson confirmed Neuhaus “offered his resignation, which was accepted,” and described him as “a good man” who will “serve the movement in another capacity.”
Neuhaus had been defending Roberts on social media after backlash to a video where Roberts defended Carlson following his interview with Nick Fuentes, a figure with a history of antisemitic remarks. In the interview, Carlson criticized Republican supporters of Israel as being “seized by this brain virus,” while Fuentes claimed “organized Jewry” was dividing the country.
Roberts stated in a video that Carlson would remain a close ally of the Heritage Foundation, asserting Christians could critique Israel without being antisemitic. He condemned the backlash against Carlson, calling it an attempt to “sow division” and claiming “their attempts to cancel him will fail.” While acknowledging his disagreement with Fuentes’ comments, Roberts argued canceling him was not the solution.
The remarks drew criticism from prominent conservatives, including Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Ted Cruz. McConnell wrote on social media that the “intellectual backbone of the conservative movement” must uphold values, stating conservatives should not support anti-Semites or apologists for autocrats. Cruz condemned Carlson at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s summit, labeling those who remain silent about antisemitic figures as “cowards and complicit in evil.”
In a follow-up post, Roberts explicitly denounced Fuentes’ “vicious antisemitic ideology,” including Holocaust denial and conspiracy theories. He called for unity against such views, stating they “risk violence” and urging confrontation with “poisonous ideas” to protect Western civilization.
Sam Barron has nearly two decades of experience covering politics, crime, and business.
