NEW YORK — A trove of private Telegram messages has exposed a culture of rampant racism, antisemitism, and violent rhetoric among leaders of Young Republican groups across multiple states, leading to firings, condemnations from senior GOP figures, and intense political fallout.
The leak, first reported by Politico, unveils over 2,900 pages of chats from a group titled “RESTOREYR WAR ROOM.” The messages, exchanged among millennial and Gen Z leaders from New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont, include repeated use of racial slurs, praise for Adolf Hitler, and graphic fantasies about gas chambers, rape, and torture.
Key Revelations from the Chat:
· Racist and Antisemitic Language: Black people were referred to as “monkeys” and “the watermelon people.” The N-word was used more than a dozen times by one member. Messages included statements like “I love Hitler” and disparaging remarks about Jewish people.
· Violent Fantasies: Members joked about sending political opponents to “gas chambers,” with one participant suggesting fixing the showers to “fit the Hitler aesthetic.” Another wrote they were “ready to watch people burn now.” There were also discussions of rape, described by one member as “epic.”
· Targets of Slurs: The chat contained frequent use of slurs against LGBTQ+ individuals, Asian people, and people with disabilities.
The participants held significant positions within the Young Republican National Federation, a key organization for grooming the GOP’s future leaders. They include Peter Giunta, the former chair of the New York State Young Republicans; Bobby Walker, his successor; and William Hendrix, the vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans. Vermont State Sen. Randy Brock was also a member of the chat.
Fallout and Reactions:
The leak has triggered swift consequences and widespread condemnation.
· Internal GOP Action: The Young Republican National Federation condemned the content and called for resignations. William Hendrix was fired from his job in the Kansas attorney general’s office. Prominent New York Republicans, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, denounced the messages and called for those responsible to step down.
· Democratic Criticism: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul lambasted the chat, stating, “This is so vile… These are racist, sexist, disgusting remarks… there’s gotta be consequences.” She and other Democrats portrayed the incident as indicative of a radicalization within the GOP.
· Conservative Downplaying: Some conservatives, like Vice President JD Vance and commentator Matt Walsh, sought to downplay the scandal by comparing it to past controversies involving Democrats, arguing the right holds itself to a unfair standard.
In statements, Giunta and Walker apologized for their language but also suggested the logs may have been altered or obtained through extortion as part of an internal party feud.
The messages reveal a group that was occasionally aware of the potential consequences of their words. In one moment of foresight, Bobby Walker wrote, “If we ever had a leak of this chat we would be cooked fr fr.”
