A trove of leaked messages has exposed a disturbing undercurrent of racism, misogyny, and violent rhetoric among several leaders of Young Republican chapters across the US, with Kansas’ William Hendrix and New York’s Peter Giunta at the center of the scandal.

The Politico-exclusive investigation reveals more than 2,900 pages of private Telegram messages exchanged between millennial and Gen Z GOP leaders from New York, Kansas, Vermont, and Arizona between January and August of this year. The messages were filled with slurs, jokes about gas chambers, and derogatory references to Black people, revealing the extreme tone of internal conversations as these leaders campaigned to steer the Young Republican movement further right, under a hardline pro-Trump agenda.

Who Is William Hendrix?

William Hendrix, vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, was revealed to have used racial slurs, including variations of the N-word, more than a dozen times in the chat logs. Hendrix has not responded to media requests for comment since the leak became public.

Who Is Peter Giunta?

Peter Giunta, the former chair of the New York State Young Republicans, is perhaps the most high-profile figure implicated. In one message, he wrote that “everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber,” referring to an internal election to lead the Young Republican National Federation, a 15,000-member GOP youth group.

He went on to say, “I’m going to create some of the greatest physiological torture methods known to man. We only want true believers.”

Although Giunta has since apologized, calling the language “insensitive and inexcusable,” he also alleged that the leaks were part of a coordinated political attack led by Gavin Wax, a former Trump administration staffer and rival within the Republican youth movement. Giunta described the leak as a “character assassination” and accused Wax and the New York City Young Republican Club of conspiring to damage his reputation.

Despite infighting within the GOP youth ranks, the chat messages also included remarks from other figures, such as Bobby Walker, the then-vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans, who referred to rape as “epic.”

Public Fallout and Party Response

The revelations have drawn condemnation from prominent New York Republicans, including Rep. Elise Stefanik and State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, who have publicly distanced themselves from the group and the rhetoric displayed in the chats.

Many of the individuals involved in the chat currently hold positions within government or GOP political operations, and at least one serves as a state senator, making the leak even more alarming to party officials.

The messages also reveal a calculated strategy to take control of the Young Republican National Federation, while spreading extreme views under the guise of party organizing. The chats repeatedly mock minority groups, refer to Black Americans using racial slurs, and joke about slavery, rape, and extermination.