Paul Ingrassia withdrew his nomination to lead a federal watchdog agency on Tuesday after reports surfaced of racist text messages he allegedly sent.
His withdrawal came just two days before the Senate Homeland Security Committee was scheduled to review his nomination.
“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,” Ingrassia wrote on social media.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ended any chance of Ingrassia’s confirmation Monday, saying, “He’s not going to pass.” Asked Tuesday if it would be a mistake for Ingrassia to attend his hearing, Thune laughed and replied, “Yeah.”
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.
I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout this process and will continue to…
— Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) October 21, 2025
According to Politico, Ingrassia, 30, said in a group chat that he had a “Nazi streak” and used a racial slur for Black people while calling for the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. However, the leaked messages are the latest controversy surrounding his time in the administration.
In July, Politico reported that Ingrassia faced a complaint from a female colleague who said he told her they’d share a hotel room during a work trip to Orlando. She later withdrew the complaint, and Ingrassia disputed it. He has publicly defended influencer and self-described “misogynist” Andrew Tate and previously worked for a law firm that listed him on Tate’s legal team before his 2024 New York bar admission. Tate and his brother face U.K. charges of rape, human trafficking, and other offenses, which they deny.
Ingrassia first served as a White House liaison at the Justice Department, briefly overseeing the hiring of Trump loyalists before moving to the Department of Homeland Security. President Trump later nominated him in May to lead the Office of Special Counsel, which handles complaints from federal employees regarding workplace issues.
“Paul is a highly respected attorney, writer, and Constitutional Scholar, who has done a tremendous job serving as my White House Liaison for Homeland Security,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time.
Ingrassia denied sending the texts, telling Politico through his lawyer that they were “self-deprecating and satirical,” mocking how “liberals routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis.’”
In a since-deleted post after Hamas’ attack on Israel, Ingrassia called the conflict a “psyop.” A coalition of Jewish organizations, as a result, joined calls for Ingrassia’s nomination to be withdrawn.
“Mr. Ingrassia’s public statements and associations with people who espouse antisemitic, racist, and misogynistic views, raise serious questions about his ability to carry out these responsibilities with the integrity, impartiality, and commitment required of the office,” the coalition wrote.
LIBERAL HYPOCRISY: Schumer demands Trump withdraw nominee over scandalous text messages
