Kevin Roberts defended Tucker Carlson’s interview with controversial commentator Nick Fuentes. Some are calling for his resignation, but other Catholic commentators are defending the President of the Heritage Foundation.
By Catholics for Catholics
In a turn of events, Kevin Roberts, the President of the Heritage Foundation made an apology for his defense of Tucker Carlon’s much-commented interview with Nick Fuentes, a controversial figure.
Last week, Roberts received backlash after he defended Carlson’s right to interview Fuentes, host of the show America First (his critics allege he extols radical antisemitic views and allegedly has praised Hitler). Roberts defended Carlson, alleging freedom of speech.
But in a leaked video, according to The Washington Times, Roberts told Heritage staffers on Wednesday that he “made a mistake” with his much-maligned video defending Carlson, but that he wants to stay and clean up what he called “the mess.”
“I made a mistake and I let you down and I let down this institution, and I am sorry for that. Period. Full stop,” Roberts said during the internal staff meeting, as shown on a video posted on YouTube by the Washington Free Beacon.
According to The Washington Times, the almost two-hour gathering was private, but the video of Mr. Roberts’ remarks and questions from employees was leaked almost immediately afterward to multiple news outlets.
There has been speculation that @Heritage is distancing itself from @TuckerCarlson over the past 24 hours.
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) October 30, 2025
I want to put that to rest right now—here are my thoughts: pic.twitter.com/F8bcxBIqKI
“Leadership requires owning the moments where we fall short — then using them to reset, refocus, and recommit,” Roberts said in a video statement posted on X on Nov. 6. The apology followed remarks made during a Heritage Foundation town hall that were leaked to the media.
The strong backlash against the Heritage Foundation started after an Oct. 30 video, in which Roberts defended Carlson against “cancellation” for an interview he held with nationalist Fuentes, anti-Israel influencer and big promoter of the “America First” groypers movement.
Some of the backlash even comes from within the Heritage Foundation; others have even called for his resignation. According to The Washington Times, Amy Swearer, Heritage senior legal fellow, told Roberts that some employees would like to see him resign, but are afraid to say so, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
“Dr. Roberts, over the last week, you have shown a stunning lack of both courage and judgment,” Swearer said. “There’s nothing ambiguous about what we saw happen. Tucker Carlson invited a Holocaust-denying neo-Nazi onto his show and then spent roughly two hours doing little more than flirting with him.”
Still, not everyone is calling for Robert’s resignation. Earlier this week, Catholics for Catholics President John C. Yep defended him, saying that the head of the Heritage Foundation had a right to free speech.
“I think we have to have clear heads. Debate is good. I don’t know Nick Fuentes. I think a lot of what he says is totally off the mark. I can’t stand his vulgarity,” Yep said. “But that being said, I think we need to continue on with a lot of courage to have these conversations. It’s important.”
Candace Owens, the popular youtube political commentator posted on X about the hostile response against Roberts, saying “This is a humiliation ritual. Let Heritage be destroyed and something else rises to take its place.”
This is a humiliation ritual.
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) November 6, 2025
Let Heritage be destroyed and something else rise to take its place. https://t.co/RxOkJqFLrV
Eric Sammons, the Editor in Chief of Crisis, the Catholic, pensive magazine, posted on X about Robert’s video apology: “I’ve seen hostage videos less uncomfortable than this.”
I’ve seen hostage videos less uncomfortable than this. https://t.co/JLMxUDomxC
— Eric Sammons (@EricRSammons) November 6, 2025
Dr. Taylor Marshall, Catholic popular commentator and author of the Christian Patriot, wrote on X about the Roberts apology: “Are all Christian and conservative groups subject to Jewish editorial review and discipline? Does anyone find this weird?”
Is there a Jewish 🔯 Thought Police?
— Dr Taylor Marshall™️ (@TaylorRMarshall) November 6, 2025
Did very rich Jewish people hold thought-police powers over Charlie Kirk at TPUSA and now also over @KevinRobertsTX at the Heritage Foundation? Did Shapiro at DW try to hold it over @RealCandaceO? Now @marklevinshow threatens to intensify it.… https://t.co/PWbjocZFE8
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