On October 15, 2025, a political firestorm erupted across the United States after Politico published a bombshell report revealing thousands of leaked private Telegram messages from Young Republican leaders. The messages, exchanged over seven months and spanning nearly 2,900 pages, exposed a deeply troubling culture among some of the party’s rising stars—one marked by racist, antisemitic, sexist, and violent rhetoric, as well as repeated invocations of Nazi references and white supremacist codes.
According to Politico, the individuals involved were not fringe outliers, but rather chairs, vice chairs, and committee members of Young Republican organizations in states including Kansas, New York, Arizona, and Vermont. The chats included not only racial slurs against Black people and antisemitic remarks, but also jokes about political violence, enslavement, and sexual assault. Members casually used white supremacist codes such as “1488”—a combination of a notorious 14-word slogan and the number 88, shorthand for “Heil Hitler.”
Among the most egregious examples, William Hendrix, vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, used racial slurs more than a dozen times. Bobby Walker, then vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans, referred to rape as “epic.” Peter Giunta, former chair of the New York organization, wrote, “everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber.” Joseph Maligno, who identified himself as general counsel for the New York State Young Republicans, responded, “Can we fix the showers? Gas chambers don’t fit the Hitler aesthetic.”
The fallout was swift and widespread. As reported by Axios and The New York Times, several members lost their jobs or faced calls for resignation. Peter Giunta’s time as chief of staff to New York Assemblymember Mike Reilly ended abruptly. Joseph Maligno is no longer employed at the New York Unified Court System. William Hendrix was let go from the Kansas Attorney General’s office, and Bobby Walker’s plans to work on a New York congressional campaign were scrapped. The Kansas Young Republicans organization itself was disbanded by the state GOP after racist comments about Black people and a slur for gay people were linked to two of its members.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott (R) called on state Senator Samuel Douglass to resign after his involvement in the chats was revealed. Douglass, according to Politico, responded to a message about dating an Indian woman by saying, “She just didn’t bathe often.” His wife, Brianna, also a Vermont Young Republicans official, posted an antisemitic remark in the chat.
The national response from the Young Republican National Federation was unequivocal. In a statement posted on X, the group said it was “appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed,” adding, “Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents. Those involved must immediately resign from all positions within their state and local Young Republican organizations. We must hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, respect, and professionalism.”
Condemnation poured in from prominent Republican figures, especially in New York. Representative Elise Stefanik’s senior adviser told Politico she was “absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans and other state YRs in a large national group chat.” Rep. Mike Lawler called the messages “deeply offensive and hateful” and demanded immediate resignations. Kansas GOP Chair Danedri Herbert, who is Black, said the state party’s leadership was “disgusted” by the comments, emphasizing that “they do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) also weighed in, describing the group chat as “so vile it’s hard to find the words to put into context.” The bipartisan condemnation reflected the gravity of the revelations and the potential damage to the party’s reputation, especially among younger voters and minority communities.
Yet, not everyone in the Republican Party responded with the same urgency. Some leaders, including President Trump, remained silent, while others, such as Vice President JD Vance, downplayed the severity of the messages. Vance took to social media to compare the leaked chats to “anything said in a college group chat,” arguing that previously reported texts from Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones—who mused about shooting a political opponent—were “far worse.” Vance wrote, “I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.” He later doubled down, telling critics to “focus on the real issues” and “grow up.”
This response drew sharp criticism from Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Vance’s reaction “outrageous” in a speech on the Senate floor, accusing him of condemning violent political discourse “only when it serves his interests.” Schumer argued, “Too many Republicans seem willing to call out violent rhetoric only when it comes from the other side. But these same Republicans never seem willing to denounce it when it comes from their own ranks, and that’s dangerous. Violent political rhetoric is an attack on everyone.”
The controversy also exposed ongoing internal strife within the Young Republican movement. Peter Giunta, in his apology to Politico and The New York Times, claimed the leak was part of “a highly-coordinated year-long character assassination” tied to internal party power struggles. He stated, “I am so sorry to those offended by the insensitive and inexcusable language found within the more than 28,000 messages of a private group chat that I created during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans. While I take complete responsibility, I have had no way of verifying their accuracy and am deeply concerned that the message logs in question may have been deceptively doctored.” Bobby Walker echoed similar concerns about possible manipulation of the chat content but also issued an apology for his role.
The origins of the leak trace back to an ongoing investigation by Politico into allegations of financial mismanagement within the New York chapter of the Young Republicans, which is reportedly more than $38,000 in debt. At least one participant in the chat, Michael Bartels, works for the Trump administration as a senior adviser in the U.S. Small Business Administration, though his participation in the chat was described as minimal.
The Young Republican National Federation, a longstanding organization with approximately 15,000 members aged 18 to 40, now faces a critical moment of reckoning. As the party’s next generation grapples with the fallout, the episode has prompted soul-searching about the values and culture shaping the movement’s future leaders. The scandal has also reignited debates over accountability, the limits of private speech for public figures, and the persistent challenge of rooting out extremism from mainstream political organizations.
As the dust settles, the Republican Party’s handling of this crisis—and the standards it sets for its young leaders—will likely shape its public image for years to come. The party’s next steps may determine whether it can regain the trust of those disillusioned by the revelations, or if the wounds inflicted by these messages will linger long after the headlines fade.
