Paul Ingrassia, Donald Trump's nominee to oversee federal whistleblower protections, has withdrawn his nomination after racist text messages surfaced. The 30-year-old, who currently serves as a White House liaison at the Department of Homeland Security, announced the decision on Truth Social on Tuesday evening, citing a lack of Republican support.
A Politico report on Monday featured text messages in which Ingrassia allegedly described himself as having 'a Nazi streak' and suggested Martin Luther King Jr Day should be 'tossed into the seventh circle of hell'. The messages prompted immediate backlash from senators, with Majority Leader John Thune saying the nomination should be pulled and Senator Ron Johnson declaring himself a 'no'.
At least five Senate Republicans had indicated opposition to the nomination by Tuesday afternoon, and Ingrassia could have lost up to three votes on the homeland security committee, where Republicans hold a one-seat majority. Democrats were expected to oppose his confirmation unanimously.
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'.
The withdrawal follows a separate Politico report earlier this month revealing that Ingrassia had been investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. The probe concerned allegations that he cancelled a female colleague's hotel reservation before a work trip and told her they would share a room. The woman filed a complaint but later retracted it, and Ingrassia denied any wrongdoing.
Ingrassia was nominated in June and would have led the Office of Special Counsel, an agency that protects federal employees from retaliation for whistleblowing. Historically, the role has been held by nonpartisan lawyers with decades of experience; Ingrassia was only admitted to the New York bar last year.
