The conservative machine behind Project 2025 hired an adult film star to work on education policy.
The Heritage Foundation announced Thursday that Corey DeAngelis, a prominent school choice advocate who opposes LGBTQ inclusion in education, is joining the think tank as a fellow at its Center for Education Policy. It is a standard conservative policy hire, with the exception of DeAngelis’s history as a gay porn performer.
The group proudly celebrated the appointment in a post on X, linking to an announcement article highlighting his work on education reform. Acting center director Jonathan Butcher praised DeAngelis’ “high-quality research” on education reform and said the team was “very pleased to add him.”
Butcher also emphasized DeAngelis’s alignment with the team’s values, noting that DeAngelis has been working toward the same education goals as Heritage staff for years.
What went unmentioned in the official communications: DeAngelis’ past appearances on gay adult site GayHoopla under the alias “Seth Rose,” in which he participated in both group and solo porn scenes.
That history is not new. DeAngelis’ time as an adult performer originally resurfaced in 2024, triggering backlash that led to his exit from the conservative nonprofit American Federation for Children, where he had served as a senior fellow.
DeAngelis has since acknowledged the material, describing it as something he regrets. In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, he said the videos—filmed over a decade ago—were “embarrassing” and did not reflect who he is today.
“There are images and videos circulating of me from my college days that I’m not proud of,” he said.
DeAngelis framed the fallout as politically motivated, arguing critics were attempting to “cancel” him because of his conservative views. “Cancellation requires consent,” he said, insisting he would not participate in efforts to derail his career.
Instead, he has recast his past as fuel for his current advocacy—particularly his push to limit LGBTQ-related content in schools.
The Daily Beast has reached out to DeAngelis for comment.
DeAngelis has built a national profile railing against LGBTQ inclusion in education, which he calls the “woke mind virus.” The conservative advocate also argued in a 2024 Fox News appearance that LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools is “just propaganda and a way for the left to control the minds of other people’s children.”
Now, he’s joining a group that has made similar priorities central to its policy blueprint.
Project 2025—the Heritage-backed initiative designed to reshape the federal government under a conservative administration—calls for sweeping changes, including removing terms like “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” from federal rules, regulations, and programs.
Both the Heritage Foundation and DeAngelis appear content to brush his controversial past under the rug.
In the announcement article, DeAngelis said he was “honored” to join Heritage and vowed to continue pushing policies that “empower families and expand school choice across the nation.” His work on education—particularly his promotion of parental control over curricula—has earned him significant influence in conservative circles.
Even garnering the attention of President Donald Trump, who previously praised DeAngelis as a “fighter” while promoting his book, The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids From the Radicals Ruining Our Schools.
For Heritage, the hire comes at a moment of internal turbulence. The organization has faced reports of infighting and staff departures tied to broader tensions within the conservative movement. More than a dozen staff members left to join former Vice President Mike Pence’s think tank, Advancing American Freedom.
The abrupt move comes after Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts defended Tucker Carlson’s interview with antisemitic political commentator Nick Fuentes.
The Daily Beast has reached out to The Heritage Foundation for comment
