A leaked 2,900-page group chat from a private Young Republican Telegram channel has caused widespread fallout, prompting job losses, public condemnation, and internal conflict within the GOP. The chat, called “RESTOREYR WAR ROOM,” included racist, antisemitic, and sexually explicit jokes shared by members of state-level Young Republican organizations.
Messages included the use of slurs like “ngga,” “fggot,” and “retarded” over 250 times. One New York Young Republican leader joked about rape being “epic,” while another said opponents of a vote should be sent to the “gas chamber.” Vermont State Sen. Samuel Douglass joked about Indian stereotypes and his wife, a national committee member, made antisemitic remarks.
The fallout has been swift. At least five individuals have lost their jobs, including aides to state lawmakers, judicial staff, and campaign operatives. The Kansas GOP shut down its Young Republican organization. Several members, including Douglass, face calls to resign.
Vice President JD Vance addressed the controversy, saying that while the language was offensive, it was not comparable to the violent political threats made by Democrat Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones. “That’s just the reality,” Vance said, calling Jones’ conduct “1,000 times worse.”
Attention has also turned to who leaked the logs. Reports allege Gavin Wax, a Trump administration official and former New York Young Republican Club president, provided the messages to Politico. According to an affidavit, Wax allegedly used blackmail and legal threats to obtain the chats from a fellow GOP staffer. The White House reportedly confronted Wax after receiving internal documentation and screenshots of communication between him and a journalist.
Wax has denied leaking the chats. Still, the internal war among GOP operatives, driven by personal feuds and power struggles, now threatens to overshadow broader party efforts ahead of the 2026 midterms.
