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Who are the Young Republicans in explosive group chat?

5 186
16.10.2025

An explosive new report from Politico exposed thousands of text messages from a Young Republican group chat in which members joked about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

The group chat included messages from about a dozen leaders associated with the Young Republican National Federation — the GOP’s 15,000-member political organization for Republicans between 18 and 40 years old — and spanned more than seven months this year.

The reporting sent waves through political circles, as the Young Republican leaders mentioned in the story — from New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont — drew intense scrutiny and backlash, including from members of the GOP. Some were promptly fired from their jobs in politics.

The Young Republican National Federation condemned the “vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article” and called for immediate resignations of all those involved.

Others, like Vice President Vance, suggested the leaked text messages sent by a Democratic candidate in Virginia were “far worse” than the messages in the Young Republicans group chat, adding, “I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”

Here’s a look at the Young Republicans mentioned in the piece and the repercussions they are now facing.

Peter Giunta

The former chair of the New York State Young Republicans, Giunta “was the most prominent voice in the chat spreading racist messages — often encouraged or ‘liked’ by other members,” Politico reported.

“I love Hitler,” Giunta reportedly said in one of the exposed text messages, in an exchange about appealing to delegates as the "most right wing person." He also made comments about sending opponents to the “gas chamber” if they don’t support his nomination for chair of the Young Republican National Federation, Politico reported.

Giunta resigned last month as chairman and president of the New York State Young Republicans amid allegations of “serious potential financial misconduct” within the organization, reported by Politico Playbook. At the time, Giunta told the outlet the accusations were “nothing more than a sad and pathetic attempt at a political hit job.”

Before Politico’s bombshell report on........

© The Hill