NBC Nightly News Hides Jay Jones Under Young Republicans' Chat Story

Watch the full report as aired on NBC Nightly News, the first legacy evening newscast to report on either text scandal, as aired on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025:

TOM LLAMAS: New fallout over racist text messages reportedly exchanged among a group of young Republican leaders and the Democrat now under fire for incendiary messages he sent. Here’s Hallie Jackson.

HALLIE JACKSON: New fallout tonight from a racist and violent group chat involving leaders of some Young Republican groups as reported by Politico. The outlet obtaining more than seven months of Telegram messages in which they say members muse about using gas chambers against political opponents. “I'm ready to watch people burn now,” one person responds. Another describing rape as “epic.” The chat includes anti-semitic comments and racial slurs against black, Latino, Asian people and other epithets used more than 250 times, according to Politico. The outlet says one person, after being told backers would support the most right wing candidate for a leadership role responded, “Great. I love Hitler.” At another point someone writes, “if we ever had a leak of this chat, we would be cooked.” NBC News has not independently verified the messages, which reportedly involved advisors and strategists in New York, Arizona, Kansas and Vermont, including a state senator there.

CHUCK SCHUMER: It's revolting. It's disgusting. It's obnoxious. It's the kind of garbage the worst kinds of people say when they think no one is watching.

JACKSON: Now at least three people involved in the chat are reportedly out of a job. The Kansas Young Republicans deactivated. And many condemning the hateful rhetoric.

NICK LA LOTA: Disgusting. If they have government jobs, they should be fired. It’s reprehensible.

JACKSON: Vice President JD Vance today downplaying the messages.

JD VANCE: I really don't want 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. We're not cancelling kids, because they do something stupid in a group chat.

JACKSON: In an earlier post, Vance refuses to, in his words, “join the pearl clutching,” saying what's far worse are the violent text messages that have upended Virginia politics. The Democratic candidate for attorney general there in 2022 suggesting one of the state's top Republicans should get, quote, “two bullets to the head.” Jay Jones days ago apologizing.

JAY JONES: I'm deeply, deeply sorry. I should have never done it. It's very embarrassing to me and, certainly, I regret it.

JACKSON: As for the Young Republicans chat, the national board says anyone involved should resign, and the governor of Vermont is calling on a state senator there to do just that. That lawmaker has publicly apologized, but stopped short of stepping down. Tom.

LLAMAS: Hallie Jackson for us.