Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head a major U.S. federal surveillance agency, has dropped out after a series of offensive text messages he allegedly sent emerged.
Ingrassia, 30, said he was withdrawing his name to lead the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) “because unfortunately I don’t have enough Republican votes right now.”
Several Republican senators had warned they would vote against Ingrassia after Politico reported earlier this week that he sent messages in a group chat in which he described himself as having a “Nazi leaning.”
A White House official confirmed to BBC News that Ingrassia was no longer Trump’s nominee for the role.
As an independent federal agency, the OSC seeks to protect government employees who report prohibited practices.
In an article on His post did not refer to the alleged text messages.
The BBC asked the White House whether Ingrassia would continue in his role at DHS.
The news came a day after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the chamber’s top Republican, cast doubt on Ingrassia’s chances of convincing enough senators to vote to confirm him.
Asked if the White House should withdraw his nomination, Thune said, “I hope so.”
“It will not pass,” Thune added.
Florida Republican Rick Scott also told reporters he would not support Ingrassia.
In alleged messages posted Monday, Ingrassia allegedly denounced the Martin Luther King holiday, saying it should be “thrown into the seventh circle of hell.”
According to Politico, Ingrassia’s texts – sent to a group of Republican operatives – also denounced other holidays celebrating black Americans, including Black History Month and Juneteenth – the new federal holiday.
“I sometimes have a Nazi streak in me,” one text reportedly read.
Edward Paltzik, an attorney for Ingrassia, would not confirm whether the messages were authentic and suggested they could have been generated by AI.
In a statement to Politico, he wrote: “Even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecation and satirical humor, mocking the fact that liberals bizarrely and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis.’
The Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, condemned the alleged messages as “vile and disqualifying.”
Republicans control the Senate by 53 votes to 47 and are mostly reluctant to reject Trump’s nominees. Two other leading candidates were also withdrawn at the last minute due to doubts about their ability to convince senators.
