The nomination of Paul Ingrassia to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel has erupted into a full-blown political crisis, with both parties expressing outrage over a series of racist, antisemitic, and white nationalist remarks allegedly made by the 30-year-old Trump administration official. The controversy comes just days before Ingrassia’s scheduled Senate confirmation hearing, and the fallout has already fractured Republican unity in the Senate, threatening to derail the nomination altogether.
According to a detailed investigation by Politico, Ingrassia, who currently serves as the White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, exchanged a series of inflammatory text messages with a group of Republican operatives and influencers from late 2023 through mid-2024. Among the most explosive comments, Ingrassia wrote in January 2024, “MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs.” Just a month earlier, he disparaged Martin Luther King Jr. Day and other holidays using an Italian slur for Black people, declaring, “No moulignon holidays … From kwanza [sic] to mlk jr day to black history month to Juneteenth. Every single one needs to be eviscerated.”
The texts, which Politico independently verified by confirming the phone number belonged to Ingrassia, also included a slew of other racist and xenophobic remarks. In one 2024 exchange, Ingrassia wrote, “Never trust a chinaman or Indian,” in apparent reference to then–presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The chat also featured Ingrassia admitting, “I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it,” a comment that prompted immediate pushback from others in the group. The texts further show Ingrassia calling for the celebration of white men and Western civilization, and even questioning the notion that all men are created equal, stating, “The founding fathers were wrong that all men are created equal … We need to reject that part of our heritage.”
As the revelations spread, condemnation was swift and bipartisan. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, told reporters on Monday, “He’s not gonna pass,” and publicly called for the White House to withdraw Ingrassia’s nomination. Thune’s stance was echoed by at least three other Republican senators—Rick Scott of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and James Lankford of Oklahoma—each of whom declared their opposition to Ingrassia’s confirmation. “I’m not supporting him. I can’t imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It’s wrong,” Scott told reporters, while Lankford added, “I have tons of questions for him … I can’t imagine supporting that.”
The math is unforgiving for the embattled nominee. As Newsweek explained, under Senate rules, Ingrassia can lose only three Republican votes before requiring Vice President JD Vance to cast a tiebreaker, assuming all Democrats vote against him. With four Republicans now signaling opposition or skepticism, Ingrassia’s nomination appears mathematically doomed.
The controversy has also exposed deeper divisions within the Republican Party and the Trump administration. Ingrassia’s initial appearance before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee was postponed in July 2025, in part due to concerns about his associations with far-right figures like Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes, as well as a sexual harassment investigation. According to The New York Times, Ingrassia had previously hosted a far-right podcast, pushed conspiracy theories during the 2024 Republican primary, and represented Tate, a self-described misogynist now facing rape and human trafficking charges overseas.
The sexual harassment allegation against Ingrassia involved a woman who claimed he canceled her hotel room during a work trip, forcing her to share a room with him. The complaint was later withdrawn, and Ingrassia has denied any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the episode added to the cloud of controversy surrounding his nomination.
Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, has pushed back against the accusations, telling Politico that the texts “could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted.” In a statement, Paltzik argued, “Even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor making fun of the fact that liberals outlandishly and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis.’ In reality, Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community because Jews know that Mr. Ingrassia is the furthest thing from a Nazi.” Paltzik further insisted, “In this age of AI, authentication of allegedly leaked messages, which could be outright falsehoods, doctored, or manipulated, or lacking critical context, is extremely difficult.”
Despite these denials, Politico reported that at least one participant in the chat retained the messages and showed the entire text chain to their reporters. The person, who requested anonymity due to fear of professional repercussions, confirmed the authenticity of the texts and said they came forward because they wanted “the government to be staffed with experienced people who are taken seriously.” Another participant corroborated the existence of the discussions, though they had deleted the chain and could not recall all specifics.
The White House has so far declined to comment on the situation, and spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security have also remained silent. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, chair of the Senate Homeland panel, told Semafor on Monday that Ingrassia remained on the witness list for Thursday’s hearing but suggested that the next move would be up to the White House: “They have to decide if he can go through. I’ve told them to count the votes … the White House needs to make a decision. I’m leaving it up to them.”
The scandal comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the Office of Special Counsel, a traditionally independent federal agency tasked with investigating whistleblower complaints and enforcing ethics laws. Earlier this year, President Trump fired the previous head of the office, Hampton Dellinger, triggering a legal battle over the president’s power to remove leaders of independent agencies. Trump has since installed loyalists in acting leadership positions, raising concerns about the agency’s independence and integrity.
For some, the Ingrassia episode is emblematic of broader trends in the Republican Party and the Trump administration. The past week has seen multiple scandals involving racist, antisemitic, and misogynistic remarks among young Republican operatives. As one participant in the group chat told Politico, Ingrassia’s personality changed dramatically as he transitioned from a law student to a high-profile Trump loyalist, becoming “an extreme ego-driven” figure who disregarded advice from more experienced colleagues.
With the Senate confirmation hearing looming, it’s clear that Ingrassia’s path forward is fraught with obstacles. The revelations have not only imperiled his nomination but also sparked a reckoning within the GOP over the boundaries of acceptable discourse and the party’s future direction. As the dust settles, the fate of both Ingrassia and the Office of Special Counsel hangs in the balance, watched closely by a nation increasingly attuned to the consequences of words and the weight of leadership.