Heritage Foundation Losing Staff to Mike Pence
Former Vice President Mike Pence at Harvard Kennedy School's John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Mike Pence is quietly reshaping his post–vice presidency nonprofit into a landing spot for conservatives distancing themselves from the Heritage Foundation. According to The Wall Street Journal, roughly 15 Heritage staffers are moving to Advancing American Freedom, the advocacy group Pence founded in 2021.
Among those departing are John Malcolm, who led Heritage’s legal and judicial center, and Richard Stern, the organization’s director of economic policy. While the Heritage Foundation remains one of the most influential institutions on the right, it has faced a series of controversies in recent months. The most notable involved Heritage president Kevin Roberts defending Tucker Carlson’s interview with white supremacist Nick Fuentes, a defense Roberts later apologized for.
Pence told the Journal that the shift reflects deeper disagreements. He said Heritage and some conservative voices have embraced “big-government populism,” tolerated antisemitism, and moved away from long-standing conservative positions. Pence also criticized the foundation for supporting tariffs, opposing continued U.S. support for Ukraine, flirting with isolationism, and backing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.
Heritage leaders are minimizing the departures. In a statement to National Review, Andy Olivastro said the organization welcomes debate but insists on loyalty to its mission. He described the exits as the choice of “a handful of staff” who pursued different paths, some through what he called disruption or disloyalty.
The split highlights a broader struggle within the conservative movement as Republicans begin looking ahead to the post-Trump era after President Trump’s term ends in 2029. At events like AmericaFest, figures such as Pence and commentator Ben Shapiro have openly clashed over foreign policy, economic populism, and the party’s future direction, while Trump-aligned leaders like Vice President JD Vance continue to energize large crowds.
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