Mike Pence's think tank poaches top Heritage staff as MAGA rift grows
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition's Annual Leadership Summit on October 28, 2023. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images.
Former Vice President Mike Pence's conservative think tank welcomed over a dozen Heritage Foundation staffers, snapping up the leaders of the Foundations' legal, economic and data teams, Axios learned Monday.
Why it matters: The Heritage Foundation was riding high entering Trump 2.0, watching the president adopt many of its Project 2025 recommendations, but now it's embroiled in debates about anti-semitism, foreign policy and other ideological concerns fraying the MAGA coalition.
State of play: Heritage was fighting to mitigate internal leaks and bleeding staffers for weeks before Pence's think tank, Advancing American Freedom (AAF,) snatched some of its top talent.
- Heritage endured a blistering public fight over combatting anti-semitism after think tank president Kevin Roberts defended Conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson's recent interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
- Roberts' defense of the nearly two-hour conversation set off a brawl that saw Carlson take heat from late activist Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA and influencer Ben Shapiro, who argued platforming Fuentes is bad for the MAGA movement.
- The infighting may get worse, as a spokesperson for AAF told Axios to "expect that additional [Heritage] staffers may join in the coming weeks."
What they're saying: "AAF is honored to welcome these principled conservative scholars to the team," Pence said in a Monday news release.
- "They bring a wealth of experience, a love of country, and a deep commitment to the Constitution and Conservative Movement that will further the cause of liberty."
Between the lines: Pence told the Wall Street Journal that these staffers left because Heritage and other conservative voices have "been willing to tolerate antisemitism" and "supported some tariffs."
- He also said Heritage embraced "some elements of isolationism," such as shifting support from President Volodymyr Zelensky to President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine-Russia War.
- An AAF spokesperson told Axios that the Journal's reporting is "an accurate framing of the VP's perspective."
The other side: "Heritage has always welcomed debate, but alignment on mission and loyalty to the institution are non-negotiable," a spokesperson for the think tank told Axios in an emailed statement.
- "A handful of staff chose a different path—some through disruption, others through disloyalty."
- Heritage noted that some of AAF's new employees were "terminated for conduct inconsistent with Heritage's mission and standards" and that others who departed were "closely aligned with them."
- "Their departures clear the way for a stronger, more focused team. America is at a turning point. Heritage is building the team that will deliver — not for yesterday's fights, but for tomorrow's victories. We are united, disciplined, and ready. Onward and upward."
Go deeper: Project 2025 architects lay out 2026 policy vision
