Leaked text messages from Young Republican leaders have created a growing scandal within the party. The texts, spanning several months and multiple states, reveal the young GOP leaders engaging in racism, joking about Holocaust-style violence against political opponents and engaging in various other types of offensive remarks.

Racism, Holocaust jokes and more revealed in Young Republicans’ group chats

Politico revealed the offensive remarks Tuesday, based on text message chains from Telegram that were leaked to the news organization. In various chats are hundreds of instances of Young Republicans using racial, ableist and homophobic slurs. For example, William Hendrix, vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, used the word “n***a” and “n****h” multiple times, Politico reported. The chat also featured numerous references to other stereotypes about various groups of people, such as equating Black people with monkeys. Members of the chats joked about rape, including threats to assault members of a rival Republican organization. When one member of the chat joked about sending political rivals “to the gas chamber,” another expanded on the Nazi reference by saying, “Can we fix the showers? Gas chambers don’t fit the Hitler aesthetic.”

Politico reported that the texts originate from a dozen leaders within the Young Republicans — a GOP organization for Republicans aged 18 to 40 — sent over a period between January 2025 and August 2025. The nearly 3,000 pages of texts span Young Republican branches in Arizona, Kansas, New York and Vermont. Peter Giunta, who was fired from his position as chief of staff to New York State Assemblyman Mike Reilly, was the most explicitly racist among the chat participants, calling Black people “the watermelon people” and joking “I love Hitler.” Giunta both excused and apologized for his remarks, saying in part, “I am so sorry to those offended by the insensitive and inexcusable language found within the more than 28,000 messages of a private group chat that I created during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans,” Politico reported. He also blamed the leak of the texts on a political rival within a competing Young Republican organization and suggested that some of the messages may have been “deceptively doctored.”

Republicans attempt to distance themselves and deflect attention

As outrage over the leaked comments has grown, prominent Republicans have in turn distanced themselves from the Young Republicans while also trying to change the subject. New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox said, “I was shocked and disgusted to learn about the reports of comments made by a small group of Young Republicans. Just as we call out vile racist and anti-Semetic rhetoric on the far left, we must not tolerate it within our ranks,” per Politico. New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has associated with Giunta and the New York Young Republicans branch, said through an adviser that she “was absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans and other state YRs in a large national group chat,” Politico reported. The congresswoman herself posted about the scandal in a long tweet, attempting to shift attention to offensive comments by Democratic candidate for attorney general of Virginia Jay Jones and throwing accusations against Democrats such as New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

A reminder for the elected Democrats hyperventilating about this latest @politico hit piece where elected Republicans rightfully condemned the alleged vile statements and delivered accountability in the YR organization (mind you, these were not even candidates for elected office…
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) October 14, 2025

Vice President JD Vance doubled down on the attempt to deflect attention to the Jones race in Virginia.

This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia. I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence. pic.twitter.com/kV57Wq7BLG
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 14, 2025

Democrats, meanwhile, are hammering the GOP over the messages. New York Congressman and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tweeted, “Disgraceful New York Republicans Mike Lawler and Elise Stefanik have been palling around with these racist, antisemitic and bigoted ‘Young Republicans’ for years. Their silence exposes what’s always been true — the phony outrage was nothing more than performance.”

Disgraceful New York Republicans Mike Lawler and Elise Stefanik have been palling around with these racist, antisemitic and bigoted “Young Republicans” for years.

Their silence exposes what’s always been true — the phony outrage was nothing more than performance. pic.twitter.com/ekdrDrlmTT
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) October 14, 2025

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul rejected the idea that the group chat participants were just “some bad apples” within the GOP. “Some bad apples? These are the future of the Republican Party,” Hochul said while answering a reporter’s question, saying that those involved in the chats should suffer consequences. “Kick them out of the party. Take away their official roles. Stop using them as campaign advisers. This bulls**t has to stop.”

Q: Politico reported on a group chat of young Republicans. Does this just reflect some bad apples?

HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the Republican Party. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context that these are people who are part of one of… pic.twitter.com/aDjnmcQTaJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 14, 2025

As Republicans distance themselves from the group of Young Republicans implicated in the offensive leaked messages, those directly involved are starting to see that their words have consequences. And despite efforts by prominent Republicans to turn attention elsewhere, the outrage about these comments — and what they may represent about the GOP — has not faded.

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