
Heritage Foundation founder Edwin Feulner dies at 83
, founder and longtime president of the influential U.S.
conservative think tank
the
Heritage Foundation
, has died at age 83, Heritage said in a statement. The Friday statement did not say when Feulner died or the cause.
Feulner, a Chicago-born political scientist, founded Heritage in 1973 and became its president in 1977, a position he held until 2013. Republican President Ronald Regan awarded him the
Presidential Citizens Medal
in 1989.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
Operations Management
PGDM
Degree
healthcare
Cybersecurity
MCA
Technology
Artificial Intelligence
Product Management
MBA
others
Finance
Leadership
CXO
Data Science
Project Management
Data Science
Data Analytics
Management
Design Thinking
Others
Public Policy
Digital Marketing
Healthcare
Skills you'll gain:
Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma
Analytical Tools
Supply Chain Management & Strategies
Service Operations Management
Duration:
10 Months
IIM Lucknow
IIML Executive Programme in Strategic Operations Management & Supply Chain Analytics
Starts on
Jan 27, 2024
Get Details
Current Heritage president Kevin Roberts and Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby, wrote in a joint statement that Feulner founded Heritage to plant "a flag for truth in a town too often seduced by power."
"What started as a small outpost for conservative ideas became - under Ed's tireless leadership - the intellectual arsenal for the Reagan Revolution and the modern
conservative movement
," they wrote.
Heritage continues to deeply impact
American conservatism
- including being the institution that created
Project 2025
, widely considered the policy blueprint of President Donald Trump's quick-moving second term.
Live Events
Senator Mitch McConnell
, a longtime leader of Congressional Republicans, wrote on social media that Feulner "was a great man" and that "his dedication to promoting peace through strength at the end of the Cold War offers a particularly enduring lesson."
Representative Steve Scalise, a Republican and majority leader in the House of Representatives, wrote on social media that Feulner "was one of the architects who built the conservative movement in this country."
Economic Times WhatsApp channel
)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
How an alleged Ponzi scheme targeting Republicans left investors and politicians reeling
A federal receiver is working to recover $140 million lost in an alleged Ponzi scheme that targeted conservatives and funneled money to Republican causes in Georgia and Alabama. The scheme, promoted by conservative pundits, promised high returns but left many investors with substantial losses. Investigations are underway, and some politicians are returning donations received from the scheme's operators. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A federal receiver is on the hunt to recover $140 million lost in an alleged Ponzi scheme that benefited some Republicans in the top ranks of their party in Georgia and Alabama. He's looking to claw back funds, including almost 1,000 political donations totaling more than $1 million, that often backed far-right Republican of these same politicians say they too lost money, but others left holding the bag for First Liberty Building & Loan are rank-and-file conservatives, swayed by talk show pundits who promoted it as an opportunity for Christians and "America First MAGA patriots.""I worked my whole life to build up savings and have a little bit of retirement so I could just live comfortably," said Michael Tinney, a 59-year-old real estate broker from Cedartown, Georgia. Tinney said he deposited $600,000 after hearing First Liberty pitched on shows hosted by conservatives including Erick Erickson, Hugh Hewitt and Charlie Liberty had promised returns up to 16% by making high-interest loans to businesses. Brant Frost IV, an evangelical powerbroker, touted "Wall Street returns for Main Street investors." But he skimmed $17 million for himself, his relatives and their affiliated companies, and loaned millions more that borrowers never repaid, a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit claims."We've got retired teachers, we've got retired businessmen, we've got retired ministers who have been part of this program as well as doctors, lawyers, everyone else you can imagine," his son, Brant Frost V, said in 2024. Tinney said the younger Frost drove to his office to secure his investment.'Substantial losses' to the investors According to a July 21 report from court-appointed receiver S. Gregory Hays, assets now include just $1.2 million in cash along with some Frost family real told The Associated Press it's too early to estimate how much money is recoverable, but he's moving to foreclose on collateral pledged by borrowers who defaulted, including a failed South Carolina factory. Hays also seized and plans to auction Brant Frost IV's Aston Martin sports car. A social media post celebrating that 2022 purchase is particularly scorned by angry Hays doubts he can get everything back."The investors are going to have substantial losses here," he and Alabama also are investigating. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urged politicians to return campaign cash. Hays said he's already received $110,000, plus a returned $20,000 charitable said on July 11 that he takes "full responsibility" and would "spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down."But no criminal charges have been announced, and some Frost relatives retain influential positions in the Georgia Republican Party, whose chairman, Josh McKoon , has had the Frosts' political and financial support. McKoon said the party returned nearly $37,000 in Frost donations and he's "profoundly saddened that members of our conservative movement" lost of the money flowed both ways Campaign disclosures show First Liberty, the Frosts and associated companies contributed widely to Republican causes, including more than $700,000 in Georgia, $150,000 in Alabama and nearly $140,000 in Maine, where the Frosts spent $230,000 over multiple years renting a Kennebunkport vacation donations included $1,000 to former party chairman David Shafer's unsuccessful 2018 lieutenant governor campaign, and tens of thousands to the state party. Shafer pushed efforts to overturn President Donald Trump 's 2020 defeat in Georgia - leading to an indictment - now stalled on pretrial appeal - against Shafer, Trump and others.A company run by Shafer - Springwood Capital - says in a July 10 lawsuit that it lost $200,000 invested in First Liberty. Its attorney, Brent Herrin, said the company is "one of hundreds of defrauded investors." Herrin declined to confirm Shafer owns the company, but financial disclosures show Shafer in 2017 owned at least part of Springwood Capital's parent company. McKoon, who received $4,500 in Frost donations, handled Springwood Capital's incorporation papers. McKoon said he didn't lose any Grubbs, Georgia GOP first vice-chairman, said on a July 16 radio show that "a lot of Republican members ... were heavily invested."In Alabama, Republican state Auditor Andrew Sorrell says he and a political action committee he controls both lost money. He hasn't said how much he lost personally, but records show Alabama Christian Citizens PAC invested $29,000."The company had marketed itself through conservative channels as a 'patriotic' and 'Christian' investment opportunity," Sorrell said, adding he learned a "tough lesson."But Sorrell, now running for Alabama Secretary of State, also benefited: He pocketed $55,000 for his campaigns, while Alabama Christian Citizens and Sorrell's federal-level U.S. Christian Citizens PAC each got $12, words from pundits Erickson, an Atlanta-based syndicated radio host, once steered listeners to the Frosts. "They're active in conservative politics ... good Christian family. I have known them for years. They are wonderful people," he said in 2020."This is how we grow, this is how we fund our movement, and this is how we help out America First MAGA patriots," radio host John Fredericks said during a June 2024 interview with Brant Frost said the hosts made First Liberty sound "pretty credible." Now he calls their warm endorsements a "recipe for disaster," and is still waiting for did call the SEC complaint "disturbing" and "damning" during a July 16 show."I have talked to them many times, never had an inkling that any of that was going on," Fredericks said, adding: "They have to have their day to fight the charges."Holding onto power despite the critics Brant Frost V, accused Wednesday in a Georgia Ethics Commission complaint of illegally influencing elections, resigned from the state Republican committee Thursday and is resigning as Coweta County GOP chairman, McKoon said. Krista Frost , Brant Frost IV's wife, remains on the state committee and Brant Frost V's sister, Katie Frost, remains 3rd Congressional District GOP and some allies won party elections in June after a nominating committee led by Katie Frost endorsed them. McKoon's vanquished rival, David Cross, is contesting those results to the Republican National Committee , saying McKoon and the Frosts engaged in skullduggery. Cross, a financial adviser, says he first reported First Liberty's possible misdeeds to state authorities in 2024. Georgia Republican National Committeewoman Amy Kremer, whose daughter was among those defeated, demanded the Frosts' ouster."We cannot claim to be the party of law and order while turning a blind eye to financial crimes committed under the banner of Republican leadership," Kremer his part, Tinney has something else in mind: "My goal is justice at this point."


News18
44 minutes ago
- News18
Its Trumps economy now. Latest financial numbers offer some warning signs
Agency: Washington, Aug 2 (AP) For all of President Donald Trump's promises of an economic 'golden age," a spate of weak indicators this week told a potentially worrisome story as the impacts of his policies are coming into focus. Job gains are dwindling. Inflation is ticking upward. Growth has slowed compared to last year. More than six months into his term, Trump's blitz of tariff hikes and his new tax and spending bill have remodelled America's trading, manufacturing, energy and tax systems to his own liking. He's eager to take credit for any wins that might occur and is hunting for someone else to blame if the financial situation starts to totter. But as of now, this is not the boom the Republican president promised, and his ability to blame his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, for any economic challenges has faded as the world economy hangs on his every word and social media post. When Friday's jobs report turned out to be decidedly bleak, Trump ignored the warnings in the data and fired the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures. 'Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes," Trump said on Truth Social, without offering evidence for his claim. 'The Economy is BOOMING." It's possible that the disappointing numbers are growing pains from the rapid transformation caused by Trump and that stronger growth will return — or they may be a preview of even more disruption to come. 'Considering how early we are in his term, Trump's had an unusually big impact on the economy already," said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist at Firehouse Strategies. 'The full inflationary impact of the tariffs won't be felt until 2026. Unfortunately for Republicans, that's also an election year." The White House portrayed the blitz of trade frameworks leading up to Thursday's tariff announcement as proof of his negotiating prowess. The European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and other nations that the White House declined to name agreed that the US could increase its tariffs on their goods without doing the same to American products. Trump simply set rates on other countries that lacked settlements. The costs of those tariffs — taxes paid on imports to the U.S. — will be most felt by many Americans in the form of higher prices, but to what extent remains uncertain. 'For the White House and their allies, a key part of managing the expectations and politics of the Trump economy is maintaining vigilance when it comes to public perceptions," said Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist. Just 38% of adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, according to a July poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. That's down from the end of Trump's first term when half of adults approved of his economic leadership. The White House paints a rosier image, seeing the economy emerging from a period of uncertainty after Trump's restructuring and repeating the economic gains seen in his first term before the pandemic struck. 'President Trump is implementing the very same policy mix of deregulation, fairer trade, and pro-growth tax cuts at an even bigger scale – as these policies take effect, the best is yet to come," White House spokesman Kush Desai said. Recent economic reports suggest trouble ahead The economic numbers over the past week show the difficulties that Trump might face if the numbers continue on their current path: — Friday's jobs report showed that US employers have shed 37,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump's tariff launch in April, undermining prior White House claims of a factory revival. — Net hiring has plummeted over the past three months with job gains of just 73,000 in July, 14,000 in June and 19,000 in May — a combined 258,000 jobs lower than previously indicated. On average last year, the economy added 168,000 jobs a month. — A Thursday inflation report showed that prices have risen 2.6% over the year that ended in June, an increase in the personal consumption expenditures price index from 2.2% in April. Prices of heavily imported items, such as appliances, furniture, and toys and games, jumped from May to June. — On Wednesday, a report on gross domestic product — the broadest measure of the U.S. economy — showed that it grew at an annual rate of less than 1.3% during the first half of the year, down sharply from 2.8% growth last year. 'The economy's just kind of slogging forward," said Guy Berger, senior fellow at the Burning Glass Institute, which studies employment trends. 'Yes, the unemployment rate's not going up, but we're adding very few jobs. The economy's been growing very slowly. It just looks like a meh' economy is continuing." Trump's Fed attacks could unleash more inflation Trump has sought to pin the blame for any economic troubles on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying the Fed should cut its benchmark interest rates even though doing so could generate more inflation. Trump has publicly backed two Fed governors, Christoper Waller and Michelle Bowman, for voting for rate cuts at Wednesday's meeting. But their logic is not what the president wants to hear: They were worried, in part, about a slowing job market. But this is a major economic gamble being undertaken by Trump and those pushing for lower rates under the belief that mortgages will also become more affordable as a result and boost homebuying activity. His tariff policy has changed repeatedly over the last six months, with the latest import tax numbers serving as a substitute for what the president announced in April, which provoked a stock market sell-off. It might not be a simple one-time adjustment as some Fed board members and Trump administration officials argue. Trump didn't listen to the warnings on universal' tariffs Of course, Trump can't say no one warned him about the possible consequences of his economic policies. Biden, then the outgoing president, did just that in a speech last December at the Brookings Institution, saying the cost of the tariffs would eventually hit American workers and businesses. 'He seems determined to impose steep, universal tariffs on all imported goods brought into this country on the mistaken belief that foreign countries will bear the cost of those tariffs rather than the American consumer," Biden said. 'I believe this approach is a major mistake." (AP) NSA NSA (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 10:45 IST News agency-feeds Its Trumps economy now. Latest financial numbers offer some warning signs Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Donald Trump says Diddy was ‘hostile' toward him; says rapper's team asked for a pardon but he likely won't grant it
Donald Trump likely won't pardon Sean 'Diddy' Combs, and it might have less to do with the charges the rapper faces and more with a friendship that didn't survive Trump's first term as POTUS. In a recent conversation with Newsmax's Rob Finnerty, the POTUS talked about plans to release the Epstein files and hinted that a pardon for the disgraced music mogul, who's awaiting his October sentencing, isn't looking likely. Trump, while speaking about the possibility of granting clemency to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's longtime associate, said no one has actually asked him to do it. He added that even though he's allowed to, he isn't fully aware of the case. The host then pressed him about offering the same to Bad Boy Records founder, who's currently locked inside Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Centre, especially since Trump had previously floated the idea of a pardon. Also read: Donald Trump risks losing more women voters if he pardons Diddy, can spark 'another Epstein-like situation' The Republican leader called the outcome of Diddy's trial 'sort of half innocent' and admitted he's still undecided. He confirmed that Diddy's lawyer has reached out to him about a possible pardon. This comes after the July verdict, where the music mogul was convicted on two prostitution-related charges but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering. And while he dodged the more serious accusations, Judge Arun Subramanian denied him bail, and prosecutors believe that if sentenced, he could be facing a minimum of 20 years in jail. Speaking about their personal history, Trump said they used to get along 'very well' and even called Diddy 'a nice guy,' but admitted that things broke down once he ran for office. 'Probably, you know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great, and he seemed like a nice guy. I didn't know him well, but when I ran for office, he was very hostile,' Donald Trump said. He added that this kind of thing does affect how decisions are made. 'It's hard, you know, like, we're human beings, and we don't like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements – so, I don't know, it's more difficult.' When the interviewer asked him again if he was probably not going to pardon Combs, Trump replied: 'I would say so.' Also read: Trump says nobody has asked him to grant clemency to Ghislaine Maxwell In the latter part of the interview, Trump, who's been facing criticism from inside his own MAGA circle for holding back controversial details about Jeffrey Epstein, told Finnerty he's all in for making the Epstein records public, but only if it doesn't hurt innocent people. 'I want to release everything,' Trump said. 'I just don't want people to get hurt.' The comment came just a week after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell for nearly nine hours at a Florida jail, after which she was moved to a minimum-security facility in Texas. Trump said he wasn't directly involved in the interview and doesn't know if that transcript will ever see the light of day.