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Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, has been accused of sexually harassing a female colleague at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during a July 2025 business trip. The 30-year-old conservative lawyer, who serves as the White House liaison to DHS, allegedly canceled the woman’s hotel reservation at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, forcing her to share his room. This incident, first reported by Politico on October 9, 2025, has ignited controversy within the administration and raised questions about Ingrassia’s fitness for his nominated role.
Ingrassia, a recent law school graduate from 2022, rose quickly in conservative circles through his Substack writings, where he proclaimed himself “President Trump’s favorite writer” after Trump shared his posts nearly 100 times.He interned in the first Trump White House and has been linked to controversial figures like white supremacist Nick Fuentes and influencer Andrew Tate, who faces rape charges in Britain that he denies. Ingrassia has promoted 9/11 conspiracy theories, praised Alex Jones, and co-hosted a podcast advocating martial law post-2020 election. Early in Trump’s second term, he was reassigned from the Justice Department after clashing with staff over demands for “exceptional loyalty” to Trump. In September 2025, former FBI officials sued, alleging Ingrassia questioned an official’s loyalty to the president.
According to five administration officials, during the Orlando trip, the lower-ranking female colleague—a fellow Trump appointee and prior acquaintance—discovered at check-in that her room had been canceled. Ingrassia informed her she would stay with him, having arranged the cancellation in advance. She protested but relented to avoid a scene, and they slept in separate beds. The woman filed a harassment complaint, citing discomfort impacting her work, but withdrew it days later, fearing retaliation. She later stated she “never felt uncomfortable” and called it a “misjudgment” by a colleague, denying any wrongdoing.
DHS conducted an HR investigation, clearing Ingrassia of misconduct. A spokesperson affirmed, “Career human resources personnel thoroughly looked into every allegation and found no wrongdoing.” However, the DHS inspector general launched a separate probe in September, interviewing officials about the allegations. Ingrassia’s access to DHS headquarters was revoked from August 27 to September 2 by White House Personnel Director Sergio Gor, but he was reinstated. Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, denied the claims, stating, “Mr. Ingrassia has never harassed any coworkers—female or otherwise, sexually or otherwise—in connection with any employment,” and insisted no inappropriate behavior occurred.
The scandal unfolds as DHS, under Secretary Kristi Noem, grapples with implementing Trump’s mass deportation agenda amid resistance from Democratic states.Noem has faced criticism for prioritizing media appearances over management. Ingrassia’s May 2025 nomination to head the Office of Special Counsel—handling whistleblower and discrimination claims—has been delayed by Senate Republicans over his inexperience and past controversies, including alleged antisemitism, which the administration disputes. This episode highlights ongoing tensions in Trump’s second term, with critics questioning the vetting of appointees. As of October 12, no charges have been filed, but the inspector general’s investigation continues, casting a shadow over Ingrassia’s future. The White House declined comment, and DHS maintains the matter is resolved.
