Michael Gargiulo, recent candidate for Georgia State Senate and current Chief of Staff for State Senator @realColtonMoore, boasts about being a “Cabinet-level Advisor” to President Trump, with press releases announcing his nomination.
And this appears to be complete fiction.
And this appears to be complete fiction.
The claim of this position is not a subtle, minor detail in his bio. His profile on X (@MichaelforGA) literally begins with “Cabinet-level Advisor @realDonaldTrump”.
That’s even before he mentions his *actual* job as Chief of Staff for State Senator Colton Moore.
That’s even before he mentions his *actual* job as Chief of Staff for State Senator Colton Moore.
Attempts to substantiate this claim online turned up only two paid press releases on PRNewswire and Yahoo dated Jan 24, 2025, and a Jan 27 piece from a website that republishes press releases.
Who paid for these press releases? Gargiulo’s own company.
finance.yahoo.com/news/atlanta-c…
Who paid for these press releases? Gargiulo’s own company.
finance.yahoo.com/news/atlanta-c…
The press releases claim “Michael Gargiulo, CEO of VPN.com and former candidate for State Senate in Georgia, has been selected as a Cabinet-Level Advisor for President Donald J. Trump.”
But notably, no one is quoted other than Gargiulo.
prnewswire.com/news-releases/…
But notably, no one is quoted other than Gargiulo.
prnewswire.com/news-releases/…
The press releases further claim “Gargiulo met with President Trump in Atlanta, Georgia and prayed with him days before the 2024 election.”
PRNewswire includes a picture of this “meeting” … which appears to be of Gargiulo attending a Trump fundraiser where he paid for a photo.
PRNewswire includes a picture of this “meeting” … which appears to be of Gargiulo attending a Trump fundraiser where he paid for a photo.
Yesterday, I had the chance to ask Gargiulo, in person, about his “Cabinet-level Advisor” nomination. He said it was reported online, and I acknowledged his press releases.
He also said he had an email from Trump’s people offering him the role, and asked if I’d like to see it.
He also said he had an email from Trump’s people offering him the role, and asked if I’d like to see it.
Gargiulo searched his phone, and then showed me the email he had received from Trump’s team, offering him the position of “Cabinet-level Advisor” to President Trump.
And it was a spam email from the Trump campaign.
Very much like these, which I also received after the election:
And it was a spam email from the Trump campaign.
Very much like these, which I also received after the election:
Gargiulo seemed perturbed that I did not accept his ‘proof’, as I tried to point out that it appeared to be campaign spam.
When I showed him a similar email on my phone, he looked at me like I was crazy and asked if *I* had “gone through the process” to “accept” Trump’s offer.
When I showed him a similar email on my phone, he looked at me like I was crazy and asked if *I* had “gone through the process” to “accept” Trump’s offer.
And for someone who seemingly sincerely believes spam email claims of Presidential nominations, Gargiulo is not a fringe nobody. In his State Senate race for Lawrenceville-area District 9, he touted the support of the Lt Governor & a former US Senator, and got 40% of the vote.
I had initially expected Gargiulo’s boasts of being an “Official Cabinet-Level Advisor” to President Trump to be just dishonest resumé fluffing.
I never would’ve predicted that he actually *believed* a Trump campaign email when it said they were offering him a fantasy position.
I never would’ve predicted that he actually *believed* a Trump campaign email when it said they were offering him a fantasy position.
@bluestein @dwickert @markniesse @jaysbookman @TamarHallerman @stphnfwlr
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