Ryan Neuhaus, the former chief of staff to Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, has parted ways with the prominent conservative think tank following a controversy surrounding Roberts’ recent defense of Tucker Carlson. Carlson had come under fire after conducting an interview with Nick Fuentes, a figure known for his antisemitic and white nationalist views.

The Heritage Foundation confirmed Neuhaus’s exit, emphasizing that his departure was not a termination. “Ryan was not fired. He offered his resignation, which was accepted,” a spokesperson for the organization told The Hill on Monday. “Ryan is a good man, we appreciate his service, and we have no doubt he will serve the movement in another capacity.”

Neuhaus’s actions on social media had stirred discontent among Heritage staff and conservative allies. He had shared several supportive messages for Roberts, including a provocative statement suggesting that any Heritage employees engaging in “virtual signaling” over the remarks should resign, implying their departure would benefit the institution.

In response to the situation, Kevin Roberts informed staff via email on Friday night that Neuhaus had been reassigned as a senior adviser. Derrick Morgan, the executive vice president, will step in as acting chief of staff until the year’s end, as previously reported by The Hill.

Roberts announced in an email to staff Friday night that Neuhaus would be made a senior adviser and that executive vice president Derrick Morgan would be acting chief of staff until the end of the year, The Hill previously reported.

He said Neuhaus would be reassigned to be senior adviser in Heritage’s B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies “to work on critical issues, including housing. Ryan’s energy and acumen will be a great benefit to our efforts to preserve the intellectual and moral underpinnings of our nation’s Founding,” adding that Neuhaus “will flourish in this new role.” 

Neuhaus joined Heritage to become chief of staff to Roberts in January, after serving as legislative director for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah.). 

Roberts, who has made the leading conservative think tank more aligned with the MAGA base, split the conservative movement last week when he posted a video statement Thursday asserting that a “venomous coalition attacking” Carlson over the interview with Fuentes was “sowing division” and that the “attempt to cancel him will fail.”

Roberts said Fuentes has said things he abhors, but that “canceling” Fuentes “is not the answer” and that his ideas should be challenged and debated. 

That led to massive backlash and uproar from Heritage’s allies in the conservative movement, from Republican officials, and even within Heritage itself with one staffer telling The Hill that Fuentes “is not someone with ideas worthy of debate.”

Following the significant backlash, Roberts elaborated Friday on what he abhors about Fuentes’s views in another statement: “He is fomenting Jew hatred, and his incitements are not only immoral and un-Christian, they risk violence.”

In an email to staff on Friday, Roberts opened by saying the thank tank had “launched and expanded numerous explicit efforts to combat antisemitism” under his leadership.

“Our position on Israel is principled and balanced: there’s a great deal of space between believing Israel can do no wrong and blaming it for every wrong,” Roberts added.

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