A total of 13 staff members are leaving Heritage to join Advancing American Freedom, founded by Pence in 2021 as he began laying the groundwork for an ultimately unsuccessful run for president in 2024. "AAF is honored to welcome these principled conservative scholars to the team," Pence said in a statement. "They bring a wealth of experience, a love of country, and a deep commitment to the Constitution and conservative movement that will further the cause of liberty." Heritage did not immediately respond to a HuffPost query. One Heritage researcher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the departures were not normal.

Source: Huffington Post December 22, 2025 15:28 UTC