Mike Pence's think tank poaches top Heritage staff as MAGA rift grows
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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."
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