Paul Ingrassia, tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the Office of the Special Counsel, withdrew his nomination on Tuesday amid controversy over alleged inflammatory text messages. The withdrawal followed a POLITICO report revealing remarks critical of Black holidays and a self-admitted 'Nazi streak.' Ingrassia blamed media 'hit pieces' and insufficient Republican support.
Paul Ingrassia, currently serving as President Donald Trump's special liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, announced his withdrawal from consideration for the Office of the Special Counsel on Tuesday. In a statement, he cited a lack of sufficient Republican votes, saying, "because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time." He expressed gratitude for the support received and affirmed his commitment to the administration, adding, "I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout this process and will continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again!"
The decision came a day after POLITICO published a report on Monday detailing alleged text messages from a group chat involving Ingrassia. Two anonymous sources provided the outlet with the chat and a phone number they attributed to him. The messages included harsh criticism of Black holidays, such as one stating, "MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs." Another message reportedly read, "No moulignon holidays … From kwanza [sic] to mlk jr day to black history month to Juneteenth," concluding, "Every single one needs to be eviscerated."
In a separate exchange, when a chat participant wrote, "Paul belongs in the Hitler Youth with Ubergruppenfuhrer Steve Bannon," Ingrassia allegedly replied, "I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it."
In a letter to Republicans on Tuesday, Ingrassia denied recollection of the leaks, stating, "I have no recollection of these alleged chat leaks, and do not concede their authenticity. They could well be outright falsehoods, doctored, or manipulated with AI, or at the very least, lack critical context." He accused anonymous sources of pursuing personal agendas to harm him and highlighted his work addressing antisemitism in the White House, noting his "great support among the Jewish community."
Ingrassia also addressed an earlier POLITICO story from this month alleging he canceled a female colleague's hotel reservation to force her into his room. He denied the claim, describing her as a "longtime friend" who "never once complained about me."
Despite his defense, three GOP senators on the Homeland Security Committee indicated opposition to his confirmation, per NBC News, likely dooming the nomination in committee. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) confirmed on Tuesday, "He’s not going to pass." Ingrassia, a former contributor to The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit, had faced these reports as scrutiny intensified over his background.