Nick Fuentes, the well-known White nationalist and Holocaust denier, has ignited a civil war within the Republican Party — and inside one of Washington’s most prominent conservative think tanks.

A bitter split has erupted on the political right after former Fox News host Tucker Carlson hosted Fuentes on his podcast for an overwhelmingly friendly conversation. Some conservatives, including Dinesh D’Souza and Ben Shapiro, have condemned Carlson for elevating a fringe figure who has expressed an affinity for Adolf Hitler and regularly traffics in racist, sexist and antisemitic tropes.

Much of the pushback has focused on their sharp criticism of Israel during the show and their mockery of Christians who have made support for the Jewish state a top priority.

But Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defended Carlson, a close ally who addressed the organization’s annual gathering in April. Roberts argued that criticizing Carlson and shunning Fuentes undermines the crusade against censorship and so-called cancel culture.

“Christians can critique the state of Israel without being antisemitic,” Roberts said in a lengthy direct-to-camera statement that has since garnered more than 24 million views on social media.

The backlash has been swift against Roberts, triggering a wave of unrest within Heritage and raising questions about the future of an institution that has for decades been a pillar of the conservative movement.

President of the Heritage Foundation Kevin Roberts speaks at the National Conservative Convention in Washington DC, on September 2, 2025