President Trump’s pick to head the federal agency tasked with protecting whistleblowers withdrew his nomination Tuesday amid reports he bragged about having a “Nazi streak” in a series of disturbing text messages.
Paul Ingrassia, who was expected to testify before a Senate panel later this week on his nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel, revealed in a social media post that he didn’t have enough support to be confirmed for the job.
“I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday’s [Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee] hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time,” Ingrassia wrote on X.
“I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout this process and will continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again!” he added.
Paul Ingrassia, seen here trying on a bronze MAGA hat, withdrew himself from consideration to lead the Office of Special Counsel in the wake of a texting scandal. Aristide EconomopoulosIngrassia, 30, had faced mounting calls for his nomination to be yanked after Politico reported on leaked text messages this week that he sent to about half-dozen fellow Republicans last year.
“I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it,” Ingrassia allegedly wrote in one message sent in May 2024.
In another text, Ingrassia argued that the federal holiday honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. belonged in “hell.”
“MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs,” Ingrassia allegedly wrote in January last year.
Ingrassia, who currently serves as a White House liaison with the Department of Homeland Security, is also said to have used an Italian-American slur against black people in one offensive text.
“No m——-n holidays … From Kwanzaa [sic] to mlk jr day to black history month to Juneteenth,” he allegedly wrote.
Ingrassia’s lawyer has since suggested the texts could have been “manipulated” — and claimed that some were poking fun at liberals.
Ingrassia bragged about having a “Nazi streak” in a series of disturbing text messages.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who signaled opposition to the nominee, teased earlier Tuesday that President Trump might pull Ingrassia’s nomination.
“I think they’ll have something official to say about that, but you know what we’ve said, and you’ll probably be hearing from them soon,” he told reporters at the White House, according to CNN.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a member of the Senate panel that was considering Ingrassia’s nomination, was adamant Monday night that he would not vote to confirm him.
“I’m not supporting him,” Scott said. “I can’t imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It’s wrong.”
If Scott and every Senate Democrat on the panel voted against Ingrassia’s nomination, the Trump administration official would not have moved forward.
The vacancy at the federal watchdog agency opened up in March when Trump fired the former head of the Office of Special Counsel, Hampton Dellinger.
Aside from protecting whistleblowers, the independent agency is tasked with investigating and prosecuting workplace misconduct in the executive branch and enforcing the Hatch Act, which restricts the partisan political activities of government workers.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
