A key Donald Trump appointee nomination is in serious trouble, after it was revealed his pick to lead a government whistleblower agency sent virulently racist text messages to fellow Republicans.

Paul Ingrassia, whom Trump chose in May to lead the Office of Special Counsel, sent a string of vile text messages in 2024 to a group of fellow Republicans in which he described himself as having a "Nazi streak," disparaged Martin Luther King Jr., and used racial epithets, according to messages obtained by Politico.

Related | Trump taps far-right troll and podcaster to lead ethics office

In one message, Ingrassia said any holidays honoring Black Americans should be cancelled, using an Italian slur for Black people: “No moulignon holidays … From kwanza [sic] to mlk jr day to black history month

See Full Page