Paul Ingrassia, who reportedly once said he had a “Nazi streak” in a series of text messages, has landed a key role in President Donald Trump’s administration, in part thanks to his loyalty, a new report claims.
Ingrassia was recently tapped to serve as the Acting General Counsel of the General Services Administration, a role in which he oversees a team of more than 100 attorneys. He previously served as the White House Liaison to the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security.
This latest appointment comes after Ingrassia withdrew his nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel earlier this year. The move came after Politico published a series of texts that appeared to show Ingrassia claiming he had a “Nazi streak.”
Now, Politico reports that Ingrassia’s loyalty to Trump may have helped him land his latest role at the GSA, despite the controversy over the text messages. Ingrassia has long voiced unwavering support for Trump, often through his Substack. The president has even reposted more than 100 of his Substack articles, according to the outlet.
“Paul’s been a steadfast supporter of President Trump and a leader in the America First movement,” Republican strategist Caroline Wren told the outlet.
Alan Jacoby, the founder of the Patriot Cigar Company, told Politico he has known Ingrassia for several years. Ingrassia’s support for Trump is “unmatched,” he told the outlet.
Some GSA officials are now questioning Ingrassia’s qualifications. One official told Politico: “What are we? A halfway house for bigots who can’t find jobs anywhere else in this administration?”
Another source familiar with GSA’s operations told Politico that Ingrassia “basically won’t be given anything meaningful because [agency] leadership doesn’t really want him.”
Others outside the GSA have also criticized Ingrassia. In a letter to the GSA and White House, six Senate Democrats said they were “deeply disturbed” by Ingrassia’s new appointment.
GSA spokesperson Marianne Copenhaver told Politico Ingrassia is a “well-regarded attorney who has provided outstanding service to President Trump and will continue to do so as GSA’s acting general counsel.”
“The GSA has complete confidence in his ability to further both its mission and the president’s priorities,” she added.
Many reports have suggested that Ingrassia has had a tough time finding his footing across several agencies. While serving as the White House liaison to the Justice Department, Ingrassia clashed with one of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s top aides, ABC News reported in February. A White House spokesperson said ABC News’s reporting was "riddled with falsehoods” at the time. Shortly afterward, he was reassigned to the Department of Homeland Security, Politico reports.
When Ingrassia was nominated to lead the Office of Special Counsel in May, questions also arose about his past. NPR reported Ingrassia had ties to commentators with extremist views, including conservative influencer and self-described “misogynist” Andrew Tate. Ingrassia previously worked on Tate’s legal team, and once called him an “extraordinary man,” according to NPR.
Ingrassia told NPR that the “narrative you're trying to attach to me that I'm some sort of extremist is lacking in all credibility."
Then, Ingrassia withdrew his nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel after Politico published a series of texts in October that he appeared to have sent.
In these texts, Ingrassia appeared to say that he had “a Nazi streak in me from time to time.” He also appeared to say that the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell.”
Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, suggested the texts could have been “manipulated” or taken out of context in a statement to Politico.
“Looks like these texts could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted. However, arguendo, even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor making fun of the fact that liberals outlandishly and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis,’” Paltzik said at the time.
“In reality, Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community because Jews know that Mr. Ingrassia is the furthest thing from a Nazi,” he added.
After withdrawing his nomination, Ingrassia said he did “not have enough Republican votes.”
“I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout this process and will continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again,” he wrote on social media at the time.
The Independent has contacted Ingrassia, Paltzik, the GSA and the White House for comment.
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