Senators Call To Withdraw Trump Nominee Over Texts

President Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, faces mounting controversy after Politico published leaked group-chat texts in which he used racial slurs, said Martin Luther King Jr. Day should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell,” urged that Kwanzaa, Black History Month and Juneteenth be “eviscerated,” wrote that he has “a Nazi streak,” and disparaged Indians and Chinese people. Politico says it independently verified the exchanges with participants; Ingrassia’s lawyer has disputed the context and authenticity, calling the messages satirical and arguing he is not a Nazi. The reporting also points to prior allegations and associations — including a withdrawn sexual-harassment complaint and ties or sympathies toward far‑right figures such as Nick Fuentes — that have amplified concerns about his fitness to lead an office charged with protecting federal whistleblowers. The revelations prompted immediate pushback from senators, including top Senate Republicans who said the nomination should be withdrawn or is unlikely to pass. Media outlets across the U.S. have amplified the Politico findings, setting up a contentious confirmation hearing scheduled for Thursday.