This past summer, President Donald Trump nominated attorney and political commentator Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel.

However, some Senate Republicans have recently made clear that they are planning to reject Ingrassia's nomination. 

Senate majority leader says Ingrassia is "not gonna pass"

One of Ingrassia's opponents is Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who told Politico on Monday that the nominee is "not gonna pass."

Senate Majority @LeaderJohnThune urged President Donald Trump to drop his nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel after inflammatory remarks he allegedly made in a group chat were leaked to the press. https://t.co/wjUZjAT835

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) October 21, 2025

Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott voiced a similar perspective, telling the website, "I'm not supporting him. I can't imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It's wrong."

While Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford indicated that he will have "tons of questions" for Ingrassia when he testifies on Capitol Hill, the lawmaker said he "can't imagine" voting to confirm.

Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has also voiced opposition to Ingrassi's confirmation, and Politico pointed out that he can only afford to lose three GOP senators before Vice President J.D. Vance will be called to cast a tie-breaking vote.

Leaked text messages contain an Italian racial slur for African Americans

The Washington Examiner noted that Ingrassi was among a group of Young Republican leaders whose offensive Telegram messages were leaked to Politico.

"MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his 'holiday' should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs," one of Ingrassi's messages read.

"No moulignon holidays," another message stated. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, "moulignon" is an Italian racial slur for African Americans.

"From kwanza to mlk jr day to black history month to Juneteenth. Every single one needs to be eviscerated," Ingrassi continued.

Ingrassi admitted to having "a Nazi streak"

What's more, Ingrassi declared that African Americans "behave that way because that's their natural state … You can’t change them."

When another Telegram user asserted that Ingrassi "belongs in the Hitler Youth with Ubergruppenfuhrer Steve Bannon," he responded by stating, "I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it."

Edward Andrew Paltzik is Ingrassi's attorney, and when speaking to Politico he denied that his client is a Nazi, saying the messages were "self-deprecating and satirical humor" which had been taken out of context.

"In reality, Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community because Jews know that Mr. Ingrassia is the furthest thing from a Nazi," Paltzik went on to add.