Left-wing activists amplifying a story about a racist Young Republican group chat “need to grow up,” JD Vance has said.
The US vice-president dismissed the allegedly racist, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic messages as “edgy jokes” told by “stupid kids”.
Leaked messages from the Telegram group chat for Republican students, young staffers, and budding politicians, allegedly described black people as “monkeys” and “the watermelon people,” joked about sending their political foes to the gas chamber, and wrote: “I love Hitler”.
The group, which is not formally affiliated with the Republican Party or the Trump administration, is also said to have praised conservatives they guessed would support slavery, used racial slurs, and referred to rape as “epic,” according to Politico.
In one of the messages shared by Politico, a member said the group was “cooked” if the chat were ever leaked, meaning they would face serious consequences.
The Young Republicans group chat is said to have included members from New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont.
It also included senior members of the club, a sitting senator, and staffers working for elected officials, according to MSNBC, several of whom have since apologised.
Job offers rescinded
Following the publication of the messages, some members of the group chat lost their jobs or had job offers rescinded.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, called on Donald Trump to condemn the “revolting messages”, while Hakeem Jeffreies, his counterpart in the House, said GOP representatives had been “palling around with these racist, anti-Semitic and bigoted ‘Young Republicans’ for years”.
“The more the political atmosphere is open and liberating – like it has been with the emergence of Trump and a more Right-wing GOP even before him – it opens up young people and older people to telling racist jokes, making racist commentaries in private and public,” Joe Feagin, a Texas A&M sociology professor, told Politico. “It’s chilling, of course, because they will act on these views.”
The White House rejected any suggestion the group chat was linked with, or inspired by, Mr Trump’s rhetoric.
“Only an activist, Left-wing reporter would desperately try to tie President Trump into a story about a random group chat he has no affiliation with, while failing to mention the dangerous smears coming from Democrat politicians who have fantasised about murdering their opponent and called Republicans Nazis and fascists,” Liz Huston, the White House spokeswoman, told Politico.
“No one has been subjected to more vicious rhetoric and violence than President Trump and his supporters.”
‘Grow up’
Asked about the Politico report, Mr Vance said outraged reactions amounted to “pearl-clutching”.
Referring to texts sent by Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate for Virginia attorney general, in which he joked about shooting a political rival, Mr Vance said: “This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia.
“I refuse to join the pearl-clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”
Later on Wednesday, Mr Vance implored critics to “grow up”.
“Grow up. I’m sorry, focus on the real issues don’t focus on what kids say in group chats,” he said. “The reality is, kids do stupid things, especially young boys. They tell edgy offensive jokes, that’s what kids do.”
In a statement, a spokesman for the Young Republicans’ board of directors said: “We are appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article published today.
“Such behaviour is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents.
“Those involved must immediately resign from all positions within their state and local Young Republican organisations. We must hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, respect, and professionalism.”