Example of the texts sent in the Young Republican group chats as published by Politico.
On October 14, 2025, Politico reported on 2,900 pages of leaked Telegram chats, spanning over a seven-month period, from leaders of the Young Republicans in several U.S. states.[1][2] Many participants worked in government or party politics, including state senator Samuel Douglass and senior Trump official Michael Bartels, an adviser in the U.S. Small Business Administration. According to Politico, "the messages reveal a culture where racist, antisemitic and violent rhetoric circulate freely — and where the Trump-era loosening of political norms has made such talk feel less taboo among those positioning themselves as the party's next leaders".[3]
The Young Republican National Federation includes members aged 18–40, with a chapter in every state. It recruits and trains young people to run for political office.[4]
Leaked chat
Leaked Telegram messages contained over 28,000 exchanges from January to August 2025 among leaders of Young Republican chapters in Arizona, Vermont, Kansas, and New York, including at least one member from the Trump administration.[4][5]
Members of the group chat included:
Peter Giunta, former chair of the New York State Young Republicans.[5][6]
Bobby Walker, chair of the New York State Young Republicans and former vice chair.[6]
William Hendrix, vice chair of Kansas Young Republicans.[6]
Alex Dwyer, chair of the Kansas Young Republicans.[6]
Annie Kaykaty, New York's national committee member.[5]
Joe Maligno, general counsel for the New York State Young Republicans.[9]
Rachel Hope, Arizona Young Republicans events chair.[10]
The chat discussed votes, social media strategies, and logistics. It also included racist and antisemitic slurs, white supremacist slogans and symbols, comments encouraging rape of political opponents to drive them to suicide, praise for Adolf Hitler, promotion of gas chambers, and enthusiasm for Republicans believed to support slavery.[3][5] Members referred to Black people as monkeys and "the watermelon people". One member stated "I'd go to the zoo if I wanted to watch monkey play ball" about an invitation to an NBA game. The slurs faggot, retard, and nigger appeared over 251 times.[11][12] In discussing a defeat in an election for chair of the Young Republicans National Federation, one member called for the winner to be raped.[10]
Aftermath
Some Young Republican members lost positions due to outrage over slurs, antisemitic, and misogynistic comments.[3] Samuel Douglass, the only elected official in the chat, faced resignation calls from Vermont's Republican governor Phil Scott.[13] Several social media accounts linked to chat members were deleted or set private after the leak.[14]
On October 14, 2025, the Kansas Young Republicans group disbanded.[15][16][17] The chat included messages from Kansas leaders Alex Dwyer and William Hendrix, who used racist and homophobic slurs and emojis responding to pro-Nazi content.[15] As of October 16, 2025, Peter Giunta no longer worked for Republican New York Assemblymember Mike Reilly, and Joseph Maligno no longer worked for the New York State Unified Court System.[5]
On October 15, 2025, Politico reported on a modified American flag with a swastika found pinned to a cubicle wall in Republican Congressman David Taylor's office on Capitol Hill.[18] These incidents, a day apart, drew condemnation about the prevalence of Nazi ideology in the Republican Party.[19][20]
On October 17, 2025, New York GOP executive board officials voted unanimously to suspend the Young Republicans' New York chapter. Party chair Ed Cox stated that "vile language of the sort made in the group chat has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations".[21][22][23] A New York state Republican official, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, said disbanding would allow a fresh start by eliminating the group's charter to reconstitute it with new leadership.[24]
Vermont state senator Samuel Douglass pledged resignation effective October 20, 2025. He stated, "Offense was taken and people were hurt, so I will mend bridges to the best of my ability ... Since the story broke, I have reached out to the majority of my Jewish and BIPOC friends and colleagues to ensure that they can be honest and upfront with me, and I know that as a young person I have a duty to set a good example for others."[25][26] Brianna Douglass has also resigned from her position as the Vermont Young Republican's national committee member.[25][27][28]
Reactions
The leaked messages drew widespread condemnation. Several participants lost their political positions within days.[29] Some apologized for the messages and their context, while others declined to comment or claimed alteration, lack of context, or manipulation.[11]
Media outlets critiqued the potential implications for the Republican Party and expressed concern about moral decline.[30][31][32][33]Gizmodo stated that "if you read some of the political analysis that's followed, this is just a peek at the future of the Republican Party. But ... The future is now".[30]George Packer, in The Atlantic, wrote that "Once morality is rotted out by partisan relativism, the floor gives way and the fall into nihilism is swift."[34]The Nation noted that "The extreme right is such a large faction in the party, especially among the young, that disavowal is politically costly. Both Trump and Vance are shrewd enough to know that Young Republicans who post 'I love Hitler' on chats are the future of the GOP."[35]
Republicans
A White House spokesperson dismissed links between the messages and President Donald Trump's actions or rhetoric. The spokesperson called questioning reporters "activist, left-wing reporter" trying "desperately try to tie President Trump into a story about a random groupchat he has no affiliation with." The spokesperson added that Democratic politicians made worse comments and Trump supporters faced vicious rhetoric and violence.[11]
Republican Vice President JD Vance declined to condemn the chat. He compared it to Jay Jones and his controversial comments from an unrelated earlier leak.[36][37] Vance called Jones's comments "far worse" without addressing the Young Republicans' rhetoric. MSNBC noted Vance's "first instinct was to downplay the scandal and go after a Democrat".[38][39]CNN described Vance's response as the "epitome of the MAGA movement's evolution on hateful rhetoric", noting "The moral high ground is out; whataboutism is very much in", and that even Roger Stone denounced the comments.[40]The Atlantic called Vance's deflection an ambitious "calculated response" to consolidate the MAGA base and succeed Donald Trump in 2028, stating "In the racist provocations of conservative cadres, Vance clearly sees the future of the party he intends to lead."[33]
Representative Elise Stefanik initially condemned some of the Young Republicans who she had promoted and financially supported in the past. However, she quickly pivoted within minutes of JD Vance's deflections and his refusal to seriously address the racist group chat messages. Stefanik shifted to calling the Politico story a "hit piece" and said that Democrats who had raised the alarm were "hyperventilating".[41][42]
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on October 16, 2025, after the leak and swastika images from David Taylor's office surfaced, that "we roundly condemn any of that nonsense".[43] Asked if he had concerns about pro-Nazi sympathies among young Republicans, Johnson replied, "No."[44]
Representative Mike Collins chose to shift the focus away from the leaked messages, writing on social media "I don't care about some group chat", followed by a photo of Laken Riley.[41]
Far-right streamer Myron Gaines, co-host of the Fresh and Fit Podcast, defended the racist comments. He posted "Yeah, we like Hitler. No one gives a fuck what you woke jews think anymore", calling Hitler "a revolutionary leader" who saved Germany.[44] Gaines posted an image of himself superimposed on Adolf Hitler, writing "Hitler was a real nigga and no one gives a fuck what stupid outlets you fruit loops say".[45]Andrew Torba, CEO of alt-right social network Gab, defended the rhetoric as "tame", writing "They have no idea what's coming".[31]
Democrats
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged Republican leaders to address the chat.[46] California governor Gavin Newsom called for a congressional antisemitism investigation of the Young Republicans.[47]
New York Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted in election materials her opponent Representative Elise Stefanik's ties to some members.[46] Hochul called out participants and urged consequences to stop the rhetoric.[5] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC used chat content in battleground state campaigns.[46]
Representative Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, quoted racial slurs against Black people from the chat, stating concern that "when we say white supremacy is thriving on the right, they call us reactionary" and that the Republican Party embraces bigotry. Representative Grace Meng, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said that members' willingness to use such rhetoric behind closed doors showed their character and the tone set by national leadership.[5]
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