President Donald Trump’s special counsel nomination is poised to crumble after a report alleged he sent disturbing, racist texts in a group chat with GOP operatives and influencers.
Politico published the purported texts from former White House staffer Paul Ingrassia, whose Senate confirmation hearings are set to start Thursday, on Monday. In one message sent in May of last year, Ingrassia allegedly said he had a “Nazi streak,” alarming other members of the six-person chat.
In others sent months earlier, Ingrassia, 30, purportedly complained that “MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs.” More alleged texts showed him using an Italian slur for Black people and saying all holidays celebrating them need to be “eviscerated.”
Politico’s report comes months after Ingrassia’s ties to right-wing extremist Andrew Tate and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes came to light after Trump nominated him in May.
The scandal could mean Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the whistleblower agency is dead in the water. In an interview with HuffPost’s Igor Bobic, a Republican key to his path forward said Trump should rescind it.
