Who is Paul Ingrassia? Trump’s choice for US Office of Special Counsel faces backlash over ‘Nazi’ remarks

Ingrassia was only admitted to the New York Bar in July 2024, less than a year before his nomination. His limited legal experience has become a key point of criticism during the confirmation process.

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Paul Joseph Ingrassia to lead the US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has caused alarm across both political parties. Critics say the administration is putting an inexperienced and ideologically extreme figure in charge of a vital watchdog agency.

According to The Washington Post, Ingrassia, a 29-year-old lawyer and former White House liaison to the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, was formally nominated on 29 May 2025. The OSC is a nonpartisan agency responsible for protecting government whistleblowers, investigating political coercion, and enforcing the Hatch Act, duties that require independence from political influence.

As reported by AP News, Ingrassia was only admitted to the New York Bar in July 2024, less than a year before his nomination. His limited legal experience has become a key point of criticism during the confirmation process.

More controversy has emerged from Ingrassia’s past social media posts, which have resurfaced online. The Daily Beast highlighted messages where he referred to federal employees as “lazy” and “stupid”, language that critics say echoes far-right or even Nazi-style rhetoric.

Ingrassia has also publicly praised online figures such as Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate, both known for their extreme and controversial views. Civil rights groups quoted by Politico warned that his behaviour “reflects a deeply troubling mindset for anyone overseeing government ethics.”

Supporters of Mr Trump argue that Ingrassia shares the president’s goal of ‘cleaning house’ within the federal government. However, opposition lawmakers warn that his appointment could compromise the OSC’s neutrality and turn it into a political weapon.

‘The Office of Special Counsel must be above ideology,’ one Senate Democrat told The Washington Post. ‘Paul Ingrassia’s record suggests the opposite.’

The Senate is expected to hold a confirmation hearing later this year. For now, Ingrassia’s nomination has become a symbol of Washington’s wider debate over who should be trusted to uphold government accountability, and how it should be done.