Heritage Foundation Welcomes Max Primorac as New Senior Research Fellow for International Economics, Foreign Aid

Heritage Foundation Welcomes Max Primorac as New Senior Research Fellow for International Economics, Foreign Aid

Apr 13, 2022 2 min read

WASHINGTON—The Heritage Foundation announced that Max Primorac has joined the organization as a senior research fellow for international economics and foreign aid with Heritage’s Allison Center for Foreign Policy. In this role, Primorac will focus on international economic challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party and radical climate policies, corruption in U.S. foreign aid, and threats to international religious freedom. 

Primorac joins Heritage as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked concerns about a global food shortage that could stoke famine, mass migration, and political instability. 

In his first report for Heritage, What the U.S. Should Do Now to Minimize the Risk of Global Food Shortages, Primorac writes:   

“While food assistance will be necessary, reflexively spending billions more dollars on food aid is not a solution: U.S. policymakers also should adopt more effective food aid policies and reverse destructive energy policies that unnecessarily increase food prices.” 

Primorac has a long and distinguished career in international economics, including over 30 years working in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He joined the Trump administration in 2018, serving in executive roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development, leading the new Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs, and working as senior adviser to the Middle East Bureau. He served as Vice President Mike Pence’s envoy to Iraq, overseeing Pence’s genocide recovery initiative to support Christian, Yezidis, and other targeted religious minorities.  

James Carafano, vice president of Heritage’s Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, welcomed Primorac to Heritage’s team.  

“U.S. foreign assistance is one of the most problematic instruments of foreign policy. It is time get beyond throwing money at problems or using American taxpayer dollars to advance political agendas and empower institutions working against American interests. Max is the fearless, brilliant, action-oriented leader we need to spearhead an effort to do better." 

Primorac has been published in the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Christian Science Monitor, Devex, Foreign Policy, and Journal for Interamerican Studies. His analysis has been featured in major outlets like the Washington Post, New York Times, Daily Caller, and USA Today. He has appeared on various networks, including Fox News, C-SPAN, CNN International, EWTN, and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”  

Press inquiries and booking requests can be sent to Gloria Taylor at [email protected].  

As the nation’s largest, most broadly supported conservative research and educational institution, The Heritage Foundation has been leading the American conservative movement since our founding in 1973. More than 500,000 members support our vision to build an America where freedom, prosperity, opportunity, and civil society flourish. 

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