Kinzinger Slams Heritage Foundation President Over Fuentes Defense

URGENT UPDATE: Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger unleashed a fierce critique of Kevin Roberts, president of the far-right Heritage Foundation, during a CNN segment on Thursday evening. Kinzinger condemned Roberts for failing to denounce Tucker Carlson after he interviewed white nationalist Nick Fuentes, a known Holocaust denier.

This controversy erupted after Roberts claimed Fuentes and Carlson should not face deplatforming, igniting outrage and leading to significant internal divisions within the Heritage Foundation. Kinzinger stated that the organization, which has been pivotal in shaping Donald Trump‘s Project 2025 agenda, is now experiencing a fracture over these alarming views.

During the heated exchange, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper questioned why condemning Fuentes’ hateful comments was so challenging for Republicans. “Shouldn’t — I think all Republicans would condemn Nick Fuentes’ hateful comments, full stop,” Cooper pressed.

Kinzinger’s response was definitive: “Yeah, you’d think. But remember, Donald Trump invited him to Mar-a-Lago to have lunch with him and Kanye.” He expressed deep concern about the apparent erosion of a once-strong boundary within the GOP against extremist ideologies, stating, “It feels like that firewall is crumbling.”

Kinzinger elaborated, highlighting a troubling trend where right-wing figures are increasingly embracing extremist views, saying, “They may be considered to the right, but they’re not part of us.” Now, he warns, the GOP’s distinction is fading, as some factions view all right-leaning individuals, even those with ties to Nazism, as allies against the left.

The backlash against Roberts’ initial stance has been swift. Kinzinger acknowledged Ted Cruz for his prompt condemnation of Fuentes, but he urged the party to take decisive action against such extremism. “This has to be burned right out of the party,” he asserted, lamenting that the process is taking too long.

As the fallout continues, the implications of this controversy stretch beyond party lines, reflecting a broader societal concern about the normalization of extremist views in mainstream politics.

Expect further developments as the Heritage Foundation grapples with its internal divisions and the GOP confronts the ramifications of its increasingly fragmented stance on extremism. This debate is far from over, and its outcomes could significantly influence the party’s future direction.