Paul Ingrassia, Donald Trump’s nominee to oversee federal whistleblower protections, has withdrawn his candidacy after racist text messages he allegedly sent were made public. Ingrassia, a White House liaison at the Department of Homeland Security, was the subject of a Politico report on Monday that featured messages in which he described himself as having “a Nazi streak” and suggested Martin Luther King Jr Day should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell”.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday evening, Ingrassia announced his withdrawal, stating: “I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday’s HSGAC hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time.” He added that he would continue to serve President Trump and the administration.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune had earlier indicated the nomination was doomed, telling reporters on Monday: “I think so. He’s not going to pass.” Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin also declared his opposition on Tuesday, saying: “I’m a no. It never should have got this far. They ought to pull the nomination.” By late Tuesday, at least five Senate Republicans had told the Washington Post they opposed Ingrassia’s nomination.
Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Paltzik, questioned the authenticity of the messages, suggesting they could be AI-generated. He described them as “self-deprecating” and “satirical humour”, adding that his client is “the furthest thing from a Nazi”. Prior to the text controversy, Ingrassia had faced scrutiny over a separate Politico report revealing a Department of Homeland Security investigation into allegations that he cancelled a female colleague’s hotel reservation before a work trip and suggested they share a room. The complaint was later retracted, and Ingrassia denied wrongdoing.
Trump nominated Ingrassia in June to lead the Office of Special Counsel, an agency that protects federal employees from retaliation for whistleblowing. The nomination drew criticism due to Ingrassia’s relative inexperience; he was admitted to the New York bar only last year, while the agency has historically been led by nonpartisan lawyers with decades of experience.
