Trump's Ethics Watchdog Pick Paul Ingrassia Withdraws After Leaked Texts Describing a 'Nazi Streak'

On the evening of October 21, 2025, Paul Ingrassia withdrew his nomination to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Politico had reported the previous day on a group text chat in which Ingrassia wrote that the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be "tossed into the seventh circle of hell" and described himself as having "a Nazi streak" at times. Republican senators moved against the nomination: Sen. Ron Johnson said "I'm a no. It never should have got this far," and Majority Leader John Thune signaled he hoped the White House would pull it. The Office of Special Counsel investigates retaliation against federal whistleblowers and enforces the Hatch Act's limits on partisan activity by federal employees. Ingrassia remained the White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for his removal from that post as well.

The episode concerned who would run the agency responsible for protecting career civil servants from political retaliation, at a point when large-scale federal firings were themselves under litigation.

The nomination was withdrawn before a confirmation vote. Ingrassia was not removed from his DHS liaison role at the time.