(José Niño, Headline USA) A trove of racist and violent texts have been leaked from the Young Republican organization, igniting a political controversy stretching from state legislatures to the White House—with some conservatives calling for those responsible for the texts to be banned from politics, and others arguing against cancel culture.
The messages, published by Politico on Tuesday, were written between January and August 2025 by members of the group “RESTOREYR WAR ROOM.” The chat included chairs and vice chairs of Young Republican organizations in New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont.
In the leaked material, participants made repeated racial slurs, made sexual jokes, and praised leaders of Nazi Germany.
The New York-based members were among the first to face consequences. New York Young Republicans Chair Peter Giunta Giunta was dismissed as chief of staff to Assemblymember Mike Reilly. Joe Maligno, who described himself as the organization’s general counsel, was terminated from the New York State Unified Court System. Kansas vice chair William Hendrix lost his job in Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office, while New York vice chair Bobby Walker’s campaign job offer was rescinded.
The Young Republican National Federation issued a public statement calling the behavior “disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents.”
The group called for those involved to “immediately resign from all positions within their state and local Young Republican organizations.”
As the fallout spread, internal disputes within the Young Republican organizations came into focus. Giunta said the leaks were “a highly coordinated year long character assassination led by Gavin Wax and the New York City Young Republican Club.”
Wax, now employed in the Trump administration as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, previously led the city-level club, which has often clashed with Giunta’s state organization over funding and leadership structure.
Michael Bartels, a senior adviser in the Small Business Administration and participant in the chat, filed a notarized affidavit claiming that Wax “demanded” full access to the logs and “threatened my professional standing” when he refused to cooperate. Wax has declined to comment publicly.
Nick Fuentes sends a message to Young College Republicans.
People like Gavin Wax will never be on your side & you need to take your own side. Also, we are way passed "Edge-Lording" so clean up the act. pic.twitter.com/fZ6ONozP7n
— KaizerRev (@Kaizerrev) October 16, 2025
Vice President JD Vance did not buy into the prevailing media narrative about these events and immediately drew a comparison with a another scandal involving Virginia Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones. Vance wrote that the Democratic candidate’s communications were “far worse than anything said in a college group chat.” He added, “I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”
Jones’s text messages, sent in 2022 and resurfaced earlier this month, included violent comments about then Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert.
In the messages, as reported by the Virginia Mercury, Jones said “Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” and “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.” The New York Times reported that Jones also referenced Gilbert’s wife and children, writing “I mean do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they’re breeding little fascists? Yes.”
While the Young Republican messages led to multiple firings and resignations across several states, Jones continues to campaign with support from many Democratic leaders. The contrast in outcomes has fueled renewed discussion over political accountability and how leaked communications are judged depending on the party of the individuals involved.
The Young Republican National Federation has not announced whether further disciplinary actions will be taken. Federal and state officials have not opened formal investigations into the leak itself, though several of those named in the messages have indicated they are considering legal steps against individuals they allege published the chats without consent.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
