JD Vance dismisses bipartisan outrage over racist and offensive Young
Republican group chat
[October 16, 2025]
By MEG KINNARD
The public release of a Young Republican group chat that included racist
language, jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers
prompted bipartisan calls for those involved to be removed from or
resign their positions.
The Young Republican National Federation, the GOP’s political
organization for Republicans between 18 and 40, called for those
involved to step down from the organization. The group described the
exchanges, first reported by Politico, as “unbecoming of any
Republican.”
Republican Vice President JD Vance, however, has weighed in several
times to speak out against what he characterized as “pearl clutching”
over the leaked messages.
Politico obtained months of exchanges from a Telegram conversation
between leaders and members of the Young Republican National Federation
and some of its affiliates in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont.
Here's a rundown of reaction to the inflammatory group chat, in which
the operatives and officials involved openly worried that their comments
might be leaked, even as they continued their conversation:
Vance
After Politico's initial report Tuesday, Vance posted on X a screen grab
from 2022 text messages in which Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate in
Virginia’s attorney general race, suggested that a prominent Republican
get “two bullets to the head.”
“This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the
guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia," Vance wrote Tuesday.
"I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for
political violence.”
Jones has taken “full responsibility" for his comments and offered a
public apology to Todd Gilbert, who then was speaker of Virginia’s House
of Delegates.
Vance reiterated his initial sentiment Wednesday on “ The Charlie Kirk
Show ” podcast, saying when asked about the reporting that a "person
seriously wishing for political violence and political assassination is
1,000 times worse than what a bunch of young people, a bunch of kids say
in a group chat, however offensive it might be.”
Vance, 41, said he grew up in a different era where “most of what I, the
stupid things that I did as a teenager and as a young adult, they’re not
on the internet.”
The father of three said he would caution his own children, “especially
my boys, don’t put things on the internet, like, be careful with what
you post. If you put something in a group chat, assume that some scumbag
is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your
family harm.”
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“I really don’t want to us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a
stupid joke, telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin
their lives,” Vance said.
Republicans
Other Republicans demanded more immediate intervention. Republican
legislative leaders in Vermont, along with Gov. Phil Scott — also a
Republican — called for the resignation of state Sen. Sam Douglass,
revealed to be a participant in the chat. A joint statement from the GOP
lawmakers termed the comments “unacceptable and deeply disturbing."
Saying she was “absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments
made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans," Rep. Elise
Stefanik of New York called for those involved to step down from their
positions. Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas GOP, said the remarks
“do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas
Republicans at large.”
In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, the Young Republican National
Federation said it was “appalled” by the reported messages and calling
for those involved to resign from their positions within the
organization. Young Republican leaders said the behavior was
“disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct
opposition to the values our movement represents.”
Democrats
Democrats have been more uniform in their condemnation. On Wednesday,
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman
James Comer asking for an investigation into the “vile and offensive
text messages," which he called “the definition of conduct that can
create a hostile and discriminatory environment that violates civil
rights laws.”
Speaking on the Senate floor, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of
New York on Tuesday described the chat as “revolting," calling for
Republicans including Trump and Vance to “condemn these comments swiftly
and unequivocally.”
Asked about the reporting, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the
exchanges “vile” and called for consequences for those involved.
“Kick them out of the party. Take away their official roles. Stop using
them as campaign advisers,” Hochul said. "There needs to be
consequences. This bulls— has to stop."
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Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
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