Adam Kinzinger on that GOP group chat

About that group chat: Adam Kinzinger says that “The GOP’s Young ‘Leaders’ Aren’t Kids — They’re Adults Praising Hitler.” An excerpt:

When you strip away the excuses, what you see in those messages isn’t immaturity — it’s indoctrination. It’s a group of self-described “patriots” using memes and shock jokes to normalize fascism and racism. And when a sitting U.S. Vice President like JD Vance rushes to dismiss it all as “boys being boys,” he’s not just minimizing it — he’s endorsing it. He’s saying, “We’ll look the other way, as long as you’re on our team.”

Let’s be clear: these “boys” are not boys. The Young Republicans’ age range is 18 to 40. These are adults — grown men and women with jobs, influence, and in many cases, aspirations for public office. They can vote, serve, lead, and shape the culture of a political party that already has a dangerous authoritarian streak. So when their private conversations are filled with “I love Hitler” posts and racist filth, it’s not just youthful stupidity—it’s a window into the moral vacuum that the GOP has cultivated. These are the foot soldiers of a movement that worships power and cruelty, not character or compassion.

One person on the chat, Michael Bartels, works in the White House. And he still has his job.