‘Appalling’ GOP Group Chat is Leaked

A massive leak of private Telegram messages among Republican operatives has sparked national outrage after revealing hundreds of racist and homophobic slurs, open praise for Adolf Hitler, and vicious attacks on women and Black Americans—all from within the party’s younger ranks.

Politico first obtained the chat logs, which included more than 28,000 messages exchanged between leaders of various Young Republican chapters across the country. The contents, laced with 251 recorded slurs, have quickly become a political nightmare for GOP leadership—and a grim reflection of what critics say is the moral decay within the party under President Donald Trump’s second administration.

Among the most disturbing messages came from 31-year-old Peter Giunta, the now-former vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans and one-time City & State “40 Under 40” honoree. According to the report, Giunta referred to Black Americans as “the watermelon people,” declared “I love Hitler,” and joked that anyone opposing him should “go to the gas chamber.”

Giunta also suggested passengers “scream the no-no word” if a female pilot had darker skin, and described NBA players as “monkeys playing ball.”

When confronted by Politico, Giunta denied the messages were authentic, claiming they were “doctored” as part of a political feud. Still, he issued an apology, calling the language “inexcusable” while hinting that the logs were “deceptively manipulated.”

Hours later, Giunta was fired from his job as chief of staff to New York State Assemblymember Michael Reilly.

Giunta’s campaign for chair of the Young Republican National Federation had been endorsed by several Trump-world figures, including Rep. Elise Stefanik and longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone. Both quickly condemned the remarks once the leak surfaced.

“Congresswoman Stefanik was absolutely appalled,” her senior adviser Alex deGrasse said in a statement. “These comments are vile and indefensible.”

Even the Young Republicans’ national board called the language “disgraceful” and demanded immediate resignations, though some in the party appeared less concerned. Vice President JD Vance dismissed the uproar, saying he would “refuse to join the pearl clutching over a college group chat.”

The chat included several other state GOP operatives who allegedly used racial slurs and mocked marginalized groups. William Hendrix, 24, vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, reportedly used the N-word more than a dozen times and mocked Black diners by writing, “Would he like some watermelon and Kool-Aid with that?” Hendrix was later fired from the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

Bobby Walker, another New York Republican official, allegedly called rape “epic” and told a gay member to “stay in the closet.” Walker has since apologized, saying the “language is wrong and hurtful” but insisting the messages were private and taken out of context.

At one point, Walker warned his colleagues: “If we ever had a leak of this chat, we would be cooked fr fr.”

The fallout has sent shockwaves through Republican circles as Trump continues to rally his base with promises to “restore order” and “defend free speech.”

Democratic leaders and civil rights groups have seized on the leak as evidence of a party still wrestling with its extremist undercurrents. “This is not a fringe problem—it’s a mirror of what the GOP has become under Trump,” said Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC Tuesday night. “When young leaders think this way, it tells you the disease runs deep.”

Political analyst Maria Cardona added, “These aren’t anonymous trolls. These are Republican officials being groomed for future power. The fact that anyone joked about gas chambers while running for office should alarm every American.”

While several state GOP chapters swiftly expelled those involved, others hesitated, revealing deep fractures within the party. Some Trump loyalists defended the operatives as victims of “cancel culture,” echoing the president’s frequent complaints that conservatives are “unfairly attacked for jokes.”

As Democrats push for a full investigation, one thing is clear: the Young Republican movement—once touted as the future of the GOP—has become a political liability.

“This is who they are behind closed doors,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA). “When you strip away the slogans, the MAGA hats, and the talking points, what’s left is hate. And now, thanks to this leak, the country can see it for itself.”