Robert P. George, a distinguished professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University, has resigned from the board of the Heritage Foundation. The departure from the influential conservative think tank follows a dispute over a video released by the organization's president, Kevin Roberts.
The disagreement centers on a video from October 30 in which Roberts defended former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Carlson had recently featured a Holocaust denier on his podcast, and Roberts's defense of him created an internal conflict that ultimately led to George's exit.
Key Takeaways
- Prominent Princeton professor Robert P. George has officially resigned from the Heritage Foundation's board of trustees.
- The resignation was prompted by an impasse with Heritage President Kevin Roberts over a video defending Tucker Carlson.
- George stated he required a "full retraction" of the video, which Roberts was unable to provide, leading to the split.
- The incident has sparked debate within conservative circles about the direction and principles of the influential think tank.
The Point of Contention
The dispute that precipitated the resignation began with a video released on October 30. In it, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts spoke in defense of media personality Tucker Carlson. The defense came after Carlson hosted a guest on his podcast who is known for being a racist and Holocaust denier.
Professor George found the video and its message unacceptable. He communicated to the foundation that his continued presence on the board was conditional on a complete retraction of the video's content.
According to George, while Roberts publicly apologized for some of his statements, a full retraction was not offered. "He could not offer a full retraction of its content," George explained. "So, we reached an impasse."
A Difference in Rectification
Despite the sharp disagreement, George described Roberts as "a good man" who "made what he acknowledged was a serious mistake." The core of the division was not personal animosity but a fundamental difference in how to address the error.
"Being human myself, I have plenty of experience in making mistakes," George stated. "What divided us was a difference of opinion about what was required to rectify the mistake."
Who is Robert P. George?
Robert P. George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. A leading conservative intellectual, he has served in several presidential appointments, including as the former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. His voice carries significant weight in academic and political conservative circles.
This difference proved insurmountable, leading George to conclude he could no longer serve on the board. His departure marks the loss of a major intellectual figure from the leadership of one of the nation's most prominent conservative institutions.
A Plea for Founding Principles
In his departure statement, George expressed his sadness over leaving the board and articulated his hopes for the future of the organization. He called for the foundation to remain true to its original mission.
"My hope for Heritage is that it will be unbending and unflinching in its fidelity to its founding vision, upholding the moral principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition and the civic principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States."
George emphasized the importance of universal human dignity, a principle he believes should guide the foundation's work. He urged that Heritage's research and advocacy be driven by a core conviction.
That conviction, he said, is "that each and every member of the human family, irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion or anything else, as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, is ‘created equal’ and ‘endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.'"
The Heritage Foundation was founded in 1973 and has become one of the most influential conservative public policy organizations in the United States. Its policy recommendations often shape Republican party platforms and legislation.
He described this creed as the "anchor" for both the Heritage Foundation and the nation itself. "If we hold fast to it even when expediency counsels compromising it, we cannot go wrong," he warned. "If we abandon it, we sign the death certificate of republican government and ordered liberty."
Reactions from the Conservative Movement
The resignation has prompted strong reactions from other conservative commentators, suggesting a significant fissure within the movement. Many see the outcome as a troubling indicator of the Heritage Foundation's current direction.
Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, framed the conflict as a battle for the soul of the institution. He described George as leading "the ‘Kevin Roberts showed terrible judgment and there need to be consequences’ camp, which has apparently lost out to ‘everything is well, nothing to see here’ camp."
Shapiro offered a stark prediction for the foundation's future. "Heritage will now decline as an institution, or we will decline as a nation," he stated. "Sad."
Columnist David Harsanyi was even more direct in his criticism of the think tank's priorities. He stated, "An organization that picks Tucker Carlson over Robert P. George isn’t one worth anyone’s support."
These comments highlight a growing concern among some conservatives that the foundation may be drifting from its intellectual and moral underpinnings in favor of alignment with controversial media figures. The departure of a figure with George's stature is seen not just as a personnel change, but as a symbolic choice with far-reaching implications for the conservative movement.
