The conservative movement is witnessing a purge of the unconverted. According to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, approximately 15 staffers from the Heritage Foundation are flocking to former Vice President Mike Pence’s non-profit, Advancing American Freedom. This mass departure highlights a fundamental ideological schism, pitting the populist, America First energy of the grassroots against the stale neoconservatism of the Washington consultant class.
Pence himself framed the exodus as a principled stand, claiming Heritage had “abandoned its principles” by rejecting endless war in Ukraine, supporting tariffs, and tolerating what he loosely labels “antisemitism.” In reality, this is the sound of an old guard refusing to evolve. The officials jumping ship, including legal center head John Malcolm and data analysis chief Kevin Dayaratna, represent a faction that never truly accepted the populist transformation of the American electorate. Their departure is less a loss and more a necessary cleansing.
Heritage’s response was pointed. Chief advancement officer Andy Olivastro accused some departing staffers of “disruption” and “disloyalty,” stating two were even “terminated for conduct inconsistent with Heritage’s mission.” This internal friction culminated after Heritage president Kevin Roberts defended Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes. For the departing neoconservative hacks, this was a bridge too far. Malcolm lamented that the video caused judges and academics to distance themselves from Heritage, a clear sign that these officials prioritize elite approval over principled, if controversial, debate.
The funding trail confirms this is a counter-revolution. Long-time donor Art Pope admitted he stopped giving to Heritage over its populist economic leanings and is now bankrolling Pence’s group. Meanwhile, AAF leader Tim Chapman, a former Heritage chief of staff, boasted of raising over $10 million quickly to absorb the defectors. He cynically noted that institutions are “afraid they’ll get raked over the coals” by online populist voices, a fear his new hires clearly share.
This fissure was on full display at the recent America Fest conference, where figures like Ben Shapiro warned the “conservative movement is in serious danger” while JD Vance received rousing applause. The battle is not just for the 2028 nomination but for the soul of the party. Pence’s failed presidential bid and his break with Trump over the 2020 election cemented his irrelevance to the base.
His new recruits are not saviors; they are relics seeking to resurrect the foreign policy disasters and economic policies that alienated millions of Americans. Their flight from Heritage is a testament to the success of the America First movement in frightening the establishment, and a warning that the old guard is regrouping for one last stand.
