“Never heard of them,” Kevin Roberts joked this summer when an intern asked him about Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes, acknowledging that their populist appeal stems from a widespread perception that modern institutions like churches, colleges, and the government can no longer be trusted.
As the midterm elections conclude, the conservative movement faces an impending post-Trump reality where different factions are actively fighting for ideological control of the Heritage Foundation.
The Heritage Foundation Power Struggle
- Kevin Roberts aims to disciple the next generation of conservatives, addressing what he describes as a civilizational moment for the republic.
- Small and mid-tier donors continue funding the foundation through traditional appeals, often disconnected from baroque online ideological conflicts.
Shifting Ideologies from the 1970s Founding to Modern Populism
Founded in the 1970s during an era of relative institutional stability, the Heritage Foundation operated on the assumption that experts could shape history. For decades, its alumni took powerful positions across Washington as missionaries driven by the belief that their mission was meaningful. By 2010, the organization launched Heritage Action for America, a lobbying group that enforced ideological purity on Capitol Hill by shaming apostate Republicans. Tim Chapman, a former head of Heritage Action, noted that a strong consensus defined the 2000-to-2012 era around limited government, free enterprise, individual freedom, traditional values, and a strong national defense.
When Donald Trump gained political prominence in 2016, Heritage leaders recognized his potential yet slumped during his first term. Kay Coles James took over the foundation in 2018, running an administration that a senior think-tank leader described as bog-standard Republican establishment. During the protests of 2020, James called racism a fatal wound in America’s history, prompting Tucker Carlson to help lead a push for her ouster.
Kevin Roberts and the Rise of the New Right
The board of trustees wanted Heritage to be relevant again, leading them to Kevin Roberts, who offered MAGA credibility. Having served as the president of a Catholic college in Wyoming and the head of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Roberts came up in the populist wing of the Republican Party as an organizer for Pat Buchanan. Although he cheered for the Iraq War for a time, Roberts now describes himself as a recovering neocon.
Washington Republicans have closely watched Roberts for signs of his true loyalties amid the rise of National Conservatism, or NatCon. After taking over, Roberts declared at a NatCon conference that Heritage was already part of the National Conservative movement. His 2024 book, Dawn’s Early Light, rejects wax-museum conservatives and insists that American life has become rigged against working people.
| Era / Leadership | Core Ideology | Key Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s – 2012 (Founding Era) | Limited government, free enterprise, traditional values | Missionary policy work and expert institutional influence |
| 2018 – 2021 (Kay Coles James Era) | Establishment Republicanism | Traditional fundraising and mainstream policy engagement |
| Post-2021 (Kevin Roberts Era) | America First populism, National Conservatism | Directing young conservative anger and restructuring institutions |
The Generational Divide Among Conservative Donors and Thinkers
An important dividing line within the modern movement is whether members are under or over the age of forty-five. While Roberts focuses on influencing the next generation, the foundation’s financial engine relies heavily on small and mid-tier donors. A former Heritage analyst described these contributors as Midwestern plumbers or retired parents who got involved over cultural concerns in public schools. A former member of Heritage’s management team noted that these supporters do not sit around thinking about ultimate questions as long as direct mailings keep arriving featuring pictures of Roberts alongside Donald Trump.
Roberts summarized the urgency of this generational realignment in his discussions about the future of the republic. “This is a civilizational moment for this republic,” Roberts said. “Whatever battles exist out there, whether they’re political battles, ideological battles—God forbid, more real battles—let them be in my lifetime, right now, so my kids don’t have to fight them.”
