Trump Nominee Paul Ingrassia Withdraws After Racist Texts Emerge

Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, withdrew from his Senate confirmation hearing after controversial text messages surfaced in which he referred to himself as having a "Nazi streak" and made racist remarks, including disparaging Martin Luther King Jr. and expressing distrust of minorities. These messages caused significant backlash among Republican senators, leading to inadequate support for his confirmation. Despite Ingrassia's withdrawal, he affirmed his commitment to continue serving the Trump administration. The Office of Special Counsel, which handles whistleblower complaints and investigates misconduct within the federal government, remains without a confirmed leader since Trump's firing of the previous head. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other GOP senators publicly doubted Ingrassia's chances of confirmation, and some called for the nomination to be withdrawn. While Ingrassia's lawyer described the texts as satirical humor aimed at liberals, the controversy effectively ended his nomination and forced the Trump administration to seek a new candidate for the post.