Trump Nominee Paul Ingrassia Withdraws After Racist Text Messages Surface

Paul Ingrassia, US President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, withdrew his nomination on Tuesday after reports emerged of racist text messages he allegedly sent, sparking widespread backlash — including from Republican lawmakers.

According to Politico, Ingrassia shared a series of offensive messages in a group chat with other Republicans. In one message, he reportedly wrote, “Never trust an Indian,” while in another he said the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell.”

The revelations prompted swift condemnation, with several Republican senators indicating they would not support his confirmation.

Announcing his withdrawal, Ingrassia said he was stepping aside because he lacked sufficient Republican backing in the Senate. “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 wrote on social media, referring to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Despite the controversy, Ingrassia pledged continued loyalty to Trump, adding, “I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received throughout the process and will continue to serve President Trump and the administration to Make America Great Again.”

Politico reported that in the same text chain, Ingrassia compared Martin Luther King Jr. to George Floyd, writing, “MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs.” He also allegedly wrote that one should “never trust a Chinaman or Indian” and claimed he had “a Nazi streak” at times.

Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Paltzik, has challenged the authenticity of the texts, suggesting they might be AI-generated. He added that if genuine, the comments were intended as “self-deprecating and satirical humour.”