Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) announced Friday that he plans to resign amid swirling sexual misconduct allegations — but a fifth accuser came forward on Tuesday alleging a 2018 rape at a hotel in West Hollywood, California, a flood of controversial videos of the lawmaker have surfaced, and he could even face questions from the FBI.
A fifth accuser came forward with the second allegation of sexual assault at a press conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday morning.
“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness,” model <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-accuser-claims-dem-drugged-choked-and-raped-her?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Swalwell+Accuser+Claims+Dem+Drugged%2C+Choked%2C+And+Raped+Her" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lonna Drewes</a> told reporters. “And I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity.”
“My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by fear, not doubt. Fear of his political power, his background as an attorney, and his family law enforcement ties,” Drewes she added, saying she will now be filing a police report against the lawmaker.
In addition, a Sept. 2022 video surfaced on Monday that showed Swalwell cavorting on a yacht in the French Riviera, which also had a large group of young women partying on board, according to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/04/13/celebrity-news/bleary-eyed-eric-swalwell-wears-a-robe-parties-with-yacht-girls-during-hush-hush-st-tropez-blow-out-wild-video-shows/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a>.
<div id="attachment_1077465" style="width: 354px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1077465" class="wp-image-1077465 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.32.31-AM-344x576.png" alt="Young women at a yacht party Swalwell attended in 2022. " width="344" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.32.31-AM-344x576.png 344w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.32.31-AM-179x300.png 179w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.32.31-AM.png 752w" sizes=" (max-width: 344px) 100vw, 344px" />Young women at a yacht party Swalwell attended in 2022. (Nik Richie/Instagram)</div>
“The people on the boat were told to keep it hush-hush about Swalwell being on the trip,” a source told the outlet regarding the trip, where Swalwell was shown in the video sporting a robe. “They were told everything stays on the boat.”
“Leave future California Governor [Swalwell] alone. He is a good guy (sarcasm) — SEPT 2022,” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXAhloHkgY0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nik Richie</a>, who posted the video, captioned the recent Instagram post.
<div id="attachment_1077463" style="width: 342px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1077463" class="wp-image-1077463 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.33.27-AM-332x576.png" alt="Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on a yacht in 2022 while wearing a rope. " width="332" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.33.27-AM-332x576.png 332w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.33.27-AM-173x300.png 173w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-14-at-11.33.27-AM.png 729w" sizes=" (max-width: 332px) 100vw, 332px" />Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on a yacht in 2022 while wearing a robe. (Nik Richie/Instagram)</div>
The congressman, who suspended his campaign for California governor, is under investigation for an alleged sexual assault in New York City by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as FBI Director Kash Patel also wants to learn more about the various allegations.
“[Swalwell] has maintained that none of the allegations against him are true, and now that he’s resigned, we would welcome him to sit down with the FBI and share any information he has,” Patel posted to X on Tuesday.
The claims range from assault to sending inappropriate images over Snapchat.
“We also encourage and welcome any person with relevant information to any of these matters to speak with us. Door is open to all,” Patel added, also sharing the number for the bureau’s tip line.
In an interview with CBS News, two of the women accusing Swalwell explained their decision to come forward after social media rumors exploded last week — even before any specifics had been revealed.
“I didn’t tell anybody for years out of fear,” Annika Albrecht, who said that Swalwell offered to “mentor” her, then added her on Snapchat, saying that he later invited her to a hotel.
“It was very clear what the connotation was,” she said, saying she believes she was “all alone” in her experience with him.
Ally Sammarco also told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/annika-albrecht-ally-sammarco-cheyenne-hunt-eric-swalwell-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a> that she Snapchatted with the congressman multiple times, and she said that had included him sending an unsolicited photo of his genitals.
“I think we just prevented another 30 to 40 years of him potentially harming people if he were to stay in Congress. In that sense, I think we have served justice for his future victims who won’t exist anymore,” she said.
Swalwell said in a statement on Monday evening that he is “deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.&#8221;
“I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” he added.
However, Rep. <a href="https://x.com/RepLuna/status/2044047389699219487?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anna Paulina Luna</a> (R-FL) said on Tuesday that if he does not resign by that afternoon, she would move forward with the expulsion effort against him.
“If Congressman Swalwell has not resigned with the Clerk of the House by 2 PM today, I will continue my resolution regarding his expulsion. His statement about his &#8216;plan to resign his seat&#8217; is not binding and is wormy. The same goes for Tony,” Luna wrote of embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), who is embroiled in a scandal of his own.

yacht_swalwell (1)

Swalwell Accuser Claims Dem Drugged, Choked, And Raped Her: ‘I Thought I Died’

California

Congress

Democrats

Eric Swalwell

House of Representatives

&#8220;The lady doth protest too much, methinks.&#8221; Shakespeare wrote it for a queen. It fits a congressman just as well.
For years, U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell — California Democrat, impeachment manager, aspiring governor, and self-appointed guardian of women&#8217;s dignity — lectured America about sexual misconduct. He demanded Brett Kavanaugh open his doors to every accuser. On social media he posted &#8220;Support survivors. Believe survivors. We are with you&#8221; in 2018. He championed the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files &#8220;for sexual assault victims.&#8221; He sat across from Senator Adam Schiff not long ago and declared, with his characteristic smugness, &#8220;We are better than this.&#8221;
It turns out he is not.
On April 10, the San Francisco Chronicle published a damning exclusive: a former staffer, hired at age 21 in his Castro Valley district office, alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions while she was too intoxicated to consent, leaving her battered, bruised, and bleeding. Hours later, CNN published a follow-up with three additional women. Two allege Swalwell sent them unsolicited explicit messages and photographs. A fourth says she woke up in his New York City hotel room after a night of unwanted kissing and touching, with no memory of how she got there.
The dominoes fell fast. The Manhattan District Attorney&#8217;s office opened a criminal investigation into the 2024 NYC hotel allegation. More than 50 former staffers signed an open letter calling the accusations &#8220;serious, credible, and [demanding] accountability&#8221; — urging him to resign from Congress and exit the gubernatorial race. He suspended his campaign the following day. His statement managed, somehow, to apologize for things he simultaneously insisted he never did.
Ugly — but the revelation that this congressman is a grotesque weirdo isn&#8217;t the main takeaway. Most of us already knew that. The intrigue is in the mob response from the Left. The liberal media knew all along and turned a blind eye for years. Now the whole cabal is scrambling to pretend they were always on the case while simultaneously throwing Swalwell directly under the bus.
Reporter Steven Tavares admitted what was, apparently, an open secret: that Swalwell&#8217;s behavior &#8220;was known by all levels of our local government and the Alameda County Democratic Party&#8221; as far back as 2013 when he first arrived in Washington, D.C. That&#8217;s 13 years. It adds up to over a decade of endorsements, fundraisers, national television bookings, and impeachment hearings — while a press corps that lectures the country about speaking truth to power looked the other way.
This isn&#8217;t investigative journalism; it&#8217;s a deliberate demolition timed for effect.
Ask the obvious question: if Swalwell&#8217;s behavior was an open secret in Democratic circles, why did the party of supposed feminists and #MeToo metrosexuals allow him to ascend from local pol to gubernatorial frontrunner? The answer is that Californians know he&#8217;s not just a perv, but an idiot — and he would&#8217;ve burned California faster than Gavin Newsom did last January. Swalwell would&#8217;ve been an abysmal candidate against Steve Hilton. Now that it&#8217;s politically convenient to rid themselves of this smarmy beta, they&#8217;ve unleashed the dogs on him.
The press, which had been sitting on this story for years, suddenly found its courage. <a href="https://x.com/brianstelter/status/2043634957776548277">Brian Stelter and company</a> would very much like credit for a moment of journalistic reckoning. They don&#8217;t deserve it. They failed for over a decade. The timing of this story is political, not principled.
The lesson isn’t that a sanctimonious hypocrite has been exposed, though one has. The lesson is about who holds the controls. The liberal media does not report on Democratic misconduct. It ratifies decisions the party has already made. When Swalwell was useful, the rumors stayed rumors. When he became inconvenient, the Chronicle got its scoop.
On the bright side, though, the citizens of California can still elect the Democrat who assaulted her ex-husband by pouring scalding mashed potatoes on his head.

Rep. Eric Swalwell Begins Presidential Campaign With Town Hall On Gun Violence

The Media Knew About Eric Swalwell. They Just Didn’t Care — Until Now.

DW Opinion

Media Bias

Disgraced Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who is accused of sexual assault and at least one claim of rape, once challenged Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro to control himself around women.
During a July 2024 House Judiciary Committee hearing, the Bay Area congressman questioned Ben Shapiro about his views on relationships and sexual behavior, citing a <a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/01/is-ben-shapiro-a-conservative-liberals-can-count-on.html">2018 interview</a> between Shapiro and Slate Magazine.
&#8220;You did say you think homosexual activity is a sin,&#8221; Swalwell said.
&#8220;Yes, I am a religious Jew,&#8221; Shapiro said. &#8220;You found me out.&#8221;
Swalwell continued reading off a large printout of a quote from Shapiro, who said, &#8220;But the view of all religious people I know has always been that sexual behavior is something that is up to you. I may have a desire to sleep with many women, but I do not.&#8221;
“I agree with me,” Shapiro interjected, to which Swalwell responded, “I’m sure it’s very hard to restrain yourself.”
On Tuesday, Shapiro resurfaced the viral clip.
&#8220;Well, this certainly hits different,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/2043725015334441108?s=20">he said on X. </a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;I&#8217;m sure it&#8217;s very hard to restrain yourself.&#8221; &#8212; Eric Swalwell
Well, this certainly hits different <a href="https://t.co/x0RGfo2MQc">pic.twitter.com/x0RGfo2MQc</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/2043725015334441108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
On Capitol Hill, Swalwell also accused federal immigration officers of &#8220;terrorizing women.&#8221;
&#8220;Real men don&#8217;t terrorize women,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1946597145588486222?s=20">he said in an interview with Fox News</a>.
Swalwell on Wednesday announced he was resigning from Congress amid multiple allegations ranging from <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inappropriate behavior</a> to sexually charged messages to at least <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one claim of rape</a>.
Another Swalwell accuser is <a href="https://x.com/Max_Gorden/status/2044035531659718997?s=20">set to hold a press conference</a> with her attorneys this morning in Beverly Hills.
Over the weekend, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg launched an investigation into allegations that Swalwell sexually assaulted a former staffer in a New York City hotel room.
Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race on Sunday night after Democrats nationwide pulled their endorsements. The Bay Area congressman also faced growing calls to resign his seat in Congress or be expelled from the chamber.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RepSwalwell/status/2043802702971359521?s=20">Swalwell said</a> in a post announcing his resignation. &#8220;I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/JbKgSORgu4">pic.twitter.com/JbKgSORgu4</a>
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/2043802702971359521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2026</a></blockquote>

swalwell_shapiro__720

That Time Eric Swalwell Challenged Ben Shapiro On Controlling Himself Around Women

Ben Shapiro

Politics

Scandal

Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales said Monday that he plans to file his retirement from Congress on Tuesday after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who committed suicide last year. 
“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas,” <a href="https://x.com/RepTonyGonzales/status/2027793862828429663?s=20">Gonzales posted on X. </a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTonyGonzales/status/2043819211865129159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
The news came about an hour after Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) announced he would step down over a sex scandal.
On March 5, Gonzales dropped his re-election bid in Texas’s 23rd Congressional District after being forced into a runoff by GOP challenger Brandon Herrera. He’s also faced calls from fellow Republicans to resign his seat. 
Those calls came after Gonzales <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/after-admitting-affair-with-staffer-texas-rep-faces-gop-calls-to-end-re-election-bid?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=After+Admitting+Affair+With+Staffer%2C+Texas+Rep+Faces+GOP+Calls+To+End+Re-Election+Bid">admitted</a> to an affair with former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old married mother who &#8220;doused herself in gasoline and was ignited into flames&#8221; in the backyard of her Uvalde, Texas home, <a href="https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/rep-gonzales-staffer-allegedly-doused-herself-in-gasoline-new-report-says">according</a> to the fire department.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-republicans-affair-with-staffer-derails-re-election-campaign">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that Gonzales said his affair with Santos-Aviles ended in the summer of 2024, more than a year before Santos-Aviles killed herself. Text messages <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/tony-gonzales-santos-aviles-affair-husband-21360950.php">published</a> in February by the San Antonio Express-News appear to show Gonzales making sexual requests to Santos-Aviles.

US Congress Delegation Visit Kyiv

Tony Gonzales To Retire From Congress After Admitting Affair With Aide

Tony Gonzales

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is resigning from Congress amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including an active sexual assault investigation in New York City.
Swalwell faced mounting calls for his resignation and the possibility of expulsion. The House Ethics Committee launched a probe into his behavior on Monday afternoon.
&#8220;I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I&#8217;ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” he said.
“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it&#8217;s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,” Swalwell added.
“Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress. I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district.”
Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race on Sunday night, after losing nearly all of his endorsements.
&#8220;I am suspending my campaign for Governor. To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,&#8221; Swalwell wrote in a post from his campaign account at the time.
The allegations of misconduct initially started as social media rumors throughout last week, then hitting a breaking point when the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco Chronicle</a> and other outlets released stories of women who were alleged victims of Swalwell&#8217;s misconduct.
Prior to dropping out of the governor&#8217;s race, multiple polls indicated that he was the leading Democrat in the top-two primary race. Once the allegations surfaced,  Swalwell lost nearly all of his major endorsements, ranging from Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) to major labor groups.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) initially defended the California lawmaker against the early social media rumors, but then retracted his endorsement and called for Swalwell&#8217;s expulsion on Monday.
&#8220;I support the ethics committee’s investigation and believe Eric Swalwell is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress. He should be expelled from Congress,&#8221; the senator said. &#8220;I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment, and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell.
&#8220;I trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew. The women who have come forward have shown courage. They deserve to be believed, to be supported, and to see justice served,&#8221; he added.
There was an effort underway Monday to get him expelled from the chamber, which would have made him one of only six members of Congress ever to be removed if it passed with a 2/3 majority vote.
This is a developing story, refresh the page for updates.

Eric Swalwell To Resign From Congress Over Sexual Misconduct Scandal

Upwards of four lawmakers are being asked to resign or risk expulsion from the House of Representatives — including Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who’s facing multiple sexual misconduct allegations and a House Ethics Committee probe, among other investigations.
In addition, Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), and Cory Mills (R-FL) are facing scrutiny over various controversies of their own.
“Congress should not tolerate representatives who abuse staff, betray public trust for personal gain, and generally violate their oath of office,” Rep. <a href="https://x.com/NydiaVelazquez/status/2043699978019672487?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nydia Velázquez</a> (D-NY) posted to X on Monday morning. “Reps. Swalwell, Gonzales, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mills should resign. If they refuse, they should be expelled. Americans deserve better and Congress must hold our members accountable.”
Swalwell and Gonzales seem to be facing the most calls for expulsion, however, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) posting over the weekend that she’s exploring the possibility. Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote in the chamber in order to be successful, and only six individuals have been removed in history.
“I will be inquiring in the morning with the house parliamentarian to see if I can pair my motion to expel Eric Swalwell with Rep Tony Gonzalez. Both NEED to go,” the Florida Republican wrote on Sunday.
On Sunday night, she doubled down after Swalwell said that he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-suspends-campaign-amid-sexual-assault-allegations">suspending</a> his campaign to become California’s next governor, but stopped short of announcing his resignation from Congress.
“You broke House rules and are a predator. You have 24 hours to announce you are resigning. Both you and Tony are a disgrace,” Luna replied.
Multiple women have alleged sexual misconduct against Swalwell, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is now looking into the allegations, as one reported assault occurred in New York City, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/manhattan-da-investigating-rep-eric-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegation/6488682/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC New York</a>.
As for the ethics probe, the committee said in a statement on Monday afternoon that they will be examining whether he &#8220;violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, with respect to allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.&#8221;
There seems to be a degree of bipartisan traction for the removals of both Swalwell and Gonzales, who had an affair with a staffer who later committed suicide.
“And Congressman Gonzales. I would,” Rep. <a href="https://x.com/BonillaJL/status/2043364060624736481?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pramila Jayapal</a> (D-WA) told “Meet the Press” on Sunday when asked if she would vote to remove Swalwell.
“I’ve already said that I think that these things, these charges and allegations and the pattern of abuse and in Congressman Gonzales&#8217; case he actually admitted to the affair with the- or to the, you know, harassment with his staffer. This is also important for staffers across the Capitol to see that their bosses don&#8217;t get to do this to them,” she added.
However, not everybody is convinced that expulsion is the best route, especially for Gonzales and Mills.
“Democrats are attempting to lump together Gonzales and Mills in their censure push because their own member, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, is almost certain to face expulsion in the coming weeks,” a GOP aide granted anonymity in order to speak freely told The Daily Wire in a statement. “They are content throwing Swalwell to the wolves if it means they can drag Republicans through the mud with him.”
Speaker Mike Johnson has previously cautioned against expulsion as an action taken against members, including when former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was expelled in 2023 prior to his fraud conviction. Santos&#8217; sentence was later commuted by President Donald Trump.
“Yeah, we couldn&#8217;t block it. It was a privileged resolution, which means it gets to come to the floor within two days of filing. And it was a regrettable day,&#8221; Johnson said at the time. &#8220;You know, prior to yesterday, only five people had ever been expelled from Congress. Three were Confederates, two were convicted of federal charges. And George Santos has not been convicted in a court. You know, our party believes in the rule of law and due process, and we&#8217;re deeply concerned about preserving those things. And, you know, maybe he will be convicted by a jury of his peers, but that hasn&#8217;t happened yet. And that&#8217;s why we had reservations about it.”
Mills is currently under a House Ethics Committee <a href="https://ethics.house.gov/press-releases/statement-of-the-chairman-and-ranking-member-of-the-committee-on-ethics-regarding-representative-cory-mills-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> for a range of allegations from “sexual misconduct and/or dating violence” to allegedly not following “campaign finance laws and regulations in connection with his 2022 and 2024 election campaigns.”
Meanwhile, Cherfilus-McCormick is facing criminal charges for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds for her congressional campaign, and she was recently found guilty on allegations made at the House Ethics Committee level, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/27/sheila-cherfilus-mccormick-guilty-ethics-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a> reported last month.
The chamber currently holds a narrow 217-214 Republican majority, which will expand to 218-214 once Republican Clay Fuller (R-GA) is sworn in.

As Congress Returns, One Question Looms: Which House Members Could Face Expulsion?

Calls to invoke the 25th Amendment have become a kind of political reflex — trotted out whenever opponents of a sitting president decide that sharp rhetoric, unconventional behavior, or controversial decision-making must somehow amount to incapacity. With Donald Trump, this refrain has reached predictable levels: he’s “unfit” or “unstable,” critics say, and therefore should be removed not through elections or even impeachment, but via the Constitution’s emergency mechanism for presidential disability. That argument fundamentally misunderstands what the 25th Amendment is and why it exists.
Ratified in 1967 in the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the 25th Amendment was designed to address a narrow but serious problem: what happens when a president is incapable of exercising the powers of the office? Section 4, the most discussed (and most misunderstood) provision — and one that has never been invoked — allows the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare that the president is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” Upon transmitting that declaration to Congress, the vice president immediately assumes the role of acting president.
Crucially, the amendment anticipates disagreement. If the president contests the declaration, Congress must decide the issue, requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses to sustain the vice president’s judgment. That’s an extraordinarily high bar, reflecting the gravity of sidelining a duly elected president without impeachment.
The text is clear: the concern is inability and incapacity, not unpopularity or controversy. It’s a mechanism for dealing with presidents who cannot function, not those whose personalities provoke opposition.
Historical practice reinforces this understanding. The 25th Amendment has been invoked several times — under Section 3, which allows voluntary delegation of authority — in cases involving clear, temporary incapacity. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan had surgery for colon cancer and transferred power to Vice President George H.W. Bush for about eight hours. President George W. Bush invoked Section 3 twice, in 2002 and 2007, when he underwent colonoscopies requiring anesthesia. President Joe Biden did the same thing in 2021. In these cases, the respective vice presidents briefly served as “acting” president. They were textbook examples of the 25th Amendment’s purpose: a president temporarily unable to perform his duties due to a known, concrete medical condition.
Even outside formal invocation, the amendment’s logic reflects lessons from earlier constitutional crises. Woodrow Wilson, after suffering a debilitating stroke in 1919, remained president in name only while his wife and aides effectively ran the executive branch. That episode — along with concerns raised after President Dwight Eisenhower’s heart attack — led to calls for constitutional reform, which Kennedy’s assassination finally triggered.
In other words, this provision exists precisely because there have been presidents who were genuinely unable to govern due to physical or cognitive impairment. It’s not a catch-all remedy for political dissatisfaction.
Which brings us to Donald Trump. One can oppose his policies, criticize his rhetoric, or argue that he shouldn’t be president. The Constitution provides a mechanism for that: elections. It also provides another mechanism for serious misconduct: impeachment. But outrage over a president’s behavior can’t magically transform into constitutional “inability.”
Trump’s critics often claim that he’s erratic or mentally unstable. But these are political assertions, not medical diagnoses. More importantly, they’re not evidence of incapacity as the 25th Amendment contemplates it. There’s no indication that Trump is unable to understand his role, make decisions, or carry out the basic functions of the presidency. Indeed, whatever one thinks of his style, he’s behaving much as he did during his first term — hardly evidence of a sudden, disqualifying decline.
The contrast with genuinely incapacitated presidents is stark. Wilson was physically and neurologically impaired to the point of being unable to govern. More recently, Biden’s cognitive decline prompted debate precisely because it raised questions about whether he could perform the job’s demands. Those are the kinds of situations the 25th Amendment is meant to address: actual inability, not partisan disgust.
To stretch the amendment to cover unconventional leadership would be to weaponize it, turning a safeguard for emergencies into a tool for political maneuvering. That would not only distort the Constitution but also set a dangerous precedent, inviting future cabinets and vice presidents to attempt end-runs around elections whenever tensions run high.
Trump’s opponents are entirely within their rights to argue that he is unfit for office. They can make that case to Congress and ultimately to voters. They can even continue to deploy the language of “craziness” in the rough-and-tumble of political debate. But they shouldn’t pretend that such rhetoric satisfies the legal standard for removing a president under the 25th Amendment.
* * *
Ilya Shapiro is director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, contributing editor of City Journal, senior counsel to Burke Law Group, PLLC, and author, most recently, of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lawless-Miseducation-Americas-Ilya-Shapiro/dp/0063336588/">Lawless: The Miseducation of America’s Elites</a>. He also writes the <a href="https://ilyashapiro.substack.com/">Shapiro’s Gavel</a> newsletter.

President Trump Delivers Remarks At The FII PRIORITY Summit In Miami Beach

No, Trump Can’t Be Removed Under The 25th Amendment

25th Amendment

Constitution

Donald Trump

John F. Kennedy (JFK)

Pressure is rapidly mounting on Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) as members of his own party increasingly join Republicans in calling for his resignation, or even expulsion, amid a growing sexual misconduct scandal and an active criminal investigation.
A growing number of House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now openly discussing removing Swalwell from office — a rare moment of bipartisan alignment on Capitol Hill. Speaking on NBC’s &#8220;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/byron-donalds-says-swalwell-gonzales-need-to-go-home-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations-261198405567?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>,&#8221; Byron Donalds (R-FL) made clear he would support expulsion if the issue comes to a vote. “[If] that vote comes to the floor, I will be voting yes on both measures. These allegations are despicable and they demean the integrity of Congress,” Donalds said. “These things are just completely unacceptable… both gentlemen need to go home.”
That sentiment is now being echoed by prominent Democrats. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) also said she would support expulsion, on &#8220;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/pramila-jayapal-says-she-will-vote-to-expel-swalwell-gonzales-this-is-not-a-partisan-issue-261197381846?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>,&#8221; emphasizing that the issue transcends party lines. “This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said. “This is clearly a pattern … and I think we have to hold everybody accountable.”
Meanwhile, Ro Khanna (D-CA) has called directly for Swalwell to resign, framing the controversy as part of a broader cultural issue within Congress. “I believe that he should resign,” Khanna said on <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6392970099112">Fox News Sunday</a>. “And whatever in terms of the House has to happen should happen… This shouldn’t be about politics… anyone who abuses staffers should not be in the United States Congress.”
Khanna also stressed the importance of setting a standard for congressional staffers, arguing that lawmakers must demonstrate that “their bosses don’t get to do this to them.” The criticism has extended beyond television appearances and into direct calls from colleagues. Jared Huffman wrote on social media that he has “seen enough,” arguing that Swalwell’s own public defense “all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules.”
“He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress,” Huffman wrote on <a href="https://x.com/JaredHuffman/status/2043129042862526859?s=20">X</a>, adding that he would support a vote to expel Swalwell if he refuses to step down.
Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, issued a forceful statement to <a href="https://x.com/RepTeresaLF/status/2043360353879236933">X</a> on Sunday, calling for both Swalwell and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) to step down. “Men in power rely on the silence of the women they have abused,” Leger Fernández said. “Both Reps. Gonzales and Swalwell believed it was acceptable to sexually abuse staff and still run for and serve in elected office. They clearly did not expect there would be any consequences for their actions.”
She continued by highlighting the vulnerability of congressional staffers, saying they were “preyed upon” despite their commitment to public service.
“These women have suffered enough. Now we must act to protect them and make sure there is accountability,” she said. “Reps. Gonzales and Swalwell are not fit to serve. They must resign. If they do not, I will vote to expel them.”
The growing backlash comes after multiple reports detailing allegations against Swalwell. A woman first accused him of sexual assault on Friday, and within hours, three more women came forward with additional claims ranging from harassment to sending unsolicited explicit images. Swalwell has denied all allegations, calling them “absolutely false” and vowing to fight them.
The situation has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-video-surfaces-of-eric-swalwell-forcibly-kissing-alleged-sex-worker?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Video+Surfaces+Of+Eric+Swalwell+Forcibly+Kissing+Alleged+Sex+Worker">triggered a criminal inquiry</a> by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which is investigating claims that include an alleged assault involving a former staffer in New York City in 2024.
At the same time, Democratic leadership has begun to distance itself, though not all have gone as far as calling for resignation from Congress. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) urged Swalwell to end his gubernatorial campaign, stopping short of demanding he leave office entirely.
The controversy has also drawn comparisons to Gonzales, a Republican facing his own misconduct allegations. Lawmakers in both parties have increasingly linked the two cases, calling for equal accountability regardless of party affiliation.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), <a href="https://x.com/RepLuna/status/2043354820447191055">says</a> she intends to inquire with the house parliamentarian to pair her resolution to expel Swalwell with Gonzalez. They would be the seventh and eighth expulsions in the history of the house, while only the fourth and fifth since the civil war. The most recent expulsion was George Santos in 2023.
Even as Swalwell remains defiant, insisting the allegations are politically motivated, the political reality around him appears to be shifting quickly. With allies stepping away, leadership urging him out of the governor’s race, and a bipartisan bloc now openly discussing expulsion, the congressman is facing the most serious threat to his career since entering public office. 
Whether that pressure ultimately forces him from Congress, or triggers a historic expulsion vote will be determined in the days ahead.

Closing Ranks: Bipartisan Calls For Swalwell’s Resignation Surge

Sexual Assault

A law that became the subject of scrutiny following surveillance on 2016 Trump campaign aide Carter Page is up for renewal with an April 20 deadline, and the debate is creating unusual battle lines.
The debate centers on whether reforms should be made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702, or if there should be a “clean” extension of the law. FISA allows for the federal government to gather foreign intelligence, but some critics have warned that it opens the door for Americans to be spied on in the process.
President Donald Trump is asking for a “clean 18-month” extension of the law, saying that it is an “effective tool to keep Americans safe” when “used properly.” He noted that “whether you like FISA or not, it is extremely important to our Military,” noting it could be useful during the ongoing military operation in Iran.
“HOWEVER, the Critical and Common Sense Reforms that were made in the last Reauthorization of FISA must remain intact to protect the American People from abuses,” Trump posted to <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2036848808705814789" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> on March 25.
The president said he “was a victim of the worst and most illegal abuse of FISA in our Nation’s History, by Radical Left Lunatics who lied to the FISA Court to spy on my 2016 Presidential Campaign in their attempt to RIG the Election in favor of Crooked Hillary Clinton.”
In 2024 when President Joe Biden was in office, Trump asked Congress to “KILL FISA” in a <a href="https://reason.com/2026/03/27/trump-backs-section-702-reauthorization-after-once-calling-to-kill-fisa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> post, saying “IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS.” The FBI ended up issuing an apology in 2020 for how it pursued FISA warrants against Page over alleged Russian connections, as he was never prosecuted.
The House has been in recess, but returns to work this week, when Speaker Mike Johnson plans to raise the renewal.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has said that she wants the SAVE America Act, an election security bill, to be tacked onto the FISA vote, which was a point of contention between her and Johnson, according to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/27/mike-johnson-house-intelligence-fisa-extension-luna-fight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a>. Even though the SAVE America Act has passed the House, it has struggled to gain the momentum necessary to pass in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has declared “warrants or bust” in order to get her vote on the legislation, as she wants more barriers in place to review American communications gathered under FISA, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/house-section-702-vote-00835291?nid=00000197-a74d-da70-a9ff-a75da4350000&amp;nname=inside-congress&amp;nrid=0000015a-ce98-daa2-a1fa-fefa0dc30000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
Some congressional Democrats have joined in on the calls for reforms, but their concerns relate to weaponization by the Trump administration.
“Any attempt to push forward a ‘clean’ reauthorization of Section 702 will put our private, sensitive data at risk,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said in a March 19 <a href="https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/03/19/jayapal-statement-on-upcoming-fisa-reauthorization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“This Trump administration has been particularly brazen in its use of domestic surveillance to suppress our Constitutional rights and dissent,” she added.
However, some Democrats, like Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), have faced left-wing backlash for their decision to support a FISA renewal.
“It is our most important intelligence collection tool … every day it stops terrorist attacks somewhere in the world,” Himes said, according to <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2026-03-31/protesters-call-on-rep-jim-himes-to-withdraw-support-for-a-federal-surveillance-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Connecticut Public Radio</a> on March 31.
Matthew R.A. Heiman, Chairman of the Cyber &amp; Privacy Working Group of the Regulatory Transparency Project, told The Daily Wire that “to the extent that [FISA] picks up Americans communications, it’s incidental.&#8221;
“Members of both sides, multiple boards and committees, have looked at this tool now for almost 20 years that it has been used, and they consistently find that the tool is really effective in terms of delivering important intelligence, and the misuses of the tool have been largely accidental,” Heiman said.
“And so it&#8217;s not a tool that&#8217;s been heavily abused, or there&#8217;s been malicious intent when there&#8217;s a mistake made,” he said.
“I think the Americans should support renewal of this tool, because it&#8217;s really important for all of our safety,” he continued.

Carter Page

Republicans Set For Major Showdown On Law That Haunted Trump’s First Admin

Anna Paulina Luna

FISA

Lauren Boebert

Republicans

California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell canceled a town hall event in Palm Desert on Thursday as his gubernatorial campaign is facing swirling allegations on social media over possible inappropriate conduct with female staffers.
The congressman’s campaign said the cancellation was because he was sick, according to <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/california/rep-eric-swalwell-cancels-town-hall-in-palm-desert/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KRON-4 News</a>, but that is not stopping the rest of the field from taking notice.
“Day 2 of [Swalwell] hiding from voters and reporters. That’s not leadership — that’s someone with something to hide,” Democrat challenger <a href="https://x.com/AVillaraigosa/status/2042417759951470809?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antonio Villaraigosa</a> posted to X.
<a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/general/2026/california/open_primary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Multiple surveys</a> indicate that the congressman is the leading Democrat in the top-two primary election set for June, as he faces Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton, billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, Republican Chad Bianco, and numerous other Democrats.
As for the allegations against Swalwell, claims went viral on social media, including that he may have made interns sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) following misconduct. The details released so far have been minimal, as nobody with a direct accusation has come forward as of Friday.
“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell’s campaign, told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/07/swalwell-campaign-denies-claims-inappropriate-behavior-00862406?__cf_chl_rt_tk=mYi3F9GE14_ybENKunLywvXA90PEbdwX.jK8sSNGjms-1775839383-1.0.1.1-XtMq.iLVJtzMbj4xWrVvnpxVKfAvGLzhBUcwxtR87CE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a> earlier this week.
One of the influencer accounts amplifying the accusations, “Mrs. Frazzled,” wrote in an X <a href="https://x.com/ms_frazzled/status/2042324565750399342?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Thursday, “you can be frustrated with me. That’s fine!”
“I am using my platform to draw awareness to the fact that this is being investigated and that awareness has been so important,” the account wrote. “These women deserve to know they are not the only ones and more &amp; more people have come forward every day.”
Democratic activist Cheyenne Hunt, executive director of Gen-Z for Change, shared a screenshot to Instagram earlier this week regarding the NDA accusations and took to X to call the statement made to Politico by Beasley “forced, false, and a clear signal they are bracing for impact.”
“The Swalwell team also suggested that these women have ‘teamed up with MAGA’ – which is just gross, especially when so many are risking careers they built in democratic politics,” Hunt <a href="https://x.com/CheyenneHuntCA/status/2041882893761573227?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
The accusations are not the only controversies that have entrenched Swalwell throughout the race, as he previously faced a lawsuit over his California residency, as well as concerns years later about his possible ties to a Chinese operative known as &#8220;Fang Fang.&#8221;
Whoever wins the general election will succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who has not endorsed a candidate in the race.

‘Honeypot’ Dem Forced To Cancel Town Hall As Misconduct Accusations Swirl

Elections

Gavin Newsom

Mass amnesty would be a slap in the face to the American people — and a betrayal of the mandate voters delivered in 2024. The American people sent Republicans to Washington to secure the border, enforce our laws, and put American workers and families first. Yet some in our own party are attempting to resurrect the deeply flawed <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4393">DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act</a>.
This bill must die in the cradle. It is not “commonsense reform.” It is mass amnesty dressed up in deceptive language, and it undermines the agenda Americans demanded.
Sponsors of the legislation, led by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, insist the bill is not amnesty. They claim it merely brings people “out of the shadows” with earned legal status while securing the border and protecting American workers. Rep. Mike Lawler, a vocal co-sponsor, has even touted it as a bipartisan fix that codifies tough immigration policies.
Salazar has pushed back against critics of the bill, suggesting opponents simply haven’t read the text. So let’s examine the legislation’s own provisions.
The bill’s Sections 2102-2104 establish a version of the Dream Act that grants conditional lawful permanent resident status to illegal aliens who entered the United States before age 18, have been continuously present since January 1, 2021, meet education, employment, or military service requirements, and pass background checks. DACA recipients receive an accelerated track to conditional green cards.
This is a direct path to citizenship for an estimated 2.5 million “Dreamers” who entered unlawfully as minors, eventually making them eligible for U.S. citizenship and sponsor their lawbreaking parents. The bottom line is the Dignity Act rewards breaking our laws with a clear pathway deeper into the American system.
The bill goes much further, though, in Sections 2301-2305 by creating the Dignity Program, a separate track for the estimated 10.5 million illegal aliens here prior to 2021 who do not qualify for the “Dreamer” provisions. If they pay a simple $1,000 “restitution” fee, submit biometrics, pass a background check, and have no felony convictions, they receive a 7-year renewable “Dignity status” with work and travel authorizations, which they can use existing pathways to adjust to a green card (and therefore a pathway to citizenship).
Sponsors emphasize that there is no path to citizenship and no access to most federal benefits. This is false, and the critical detail they downplay is this: qualifying for the program suspends deportation for anyone who applies and meets the basic criteria, including certain criminals. In practice, this effectively halts mass deportations for the overwhelming majority of the illegal alien population already here. In fact, Section 2204 of the bill explicitly allows illegal aliens deported on or after January 20, 2017 – the day President Trump was first inaugurated – to apply for the bill’s permanent resident status (the “dignity status” outlined above) directly from their home country and, if approved, to return to the United States as lawful permanent residents. This bill seeks to unwind the tremendous successes of President Trump in enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.
Estimates of the unauthorized population have ranged between 12 million and 20 million. The bill’s cutoffs capture nearly all long-term illegal residents, effectively legalizing their presence and shielding them from removal. Proponents call this “earned” status. Conservatives recognize it for what it is: a de facto amnesty that signals to the world that entering illegally carries little permanent consequence once you settle in.
This is unacceptable. American voters did not elect us to rubber-stamp the Biden-era border crisis or to create new legal protections that make large-scale enforcement impossible. Granting work authorization and deferred removal to millions rewards lawbreakers, undercuts wages for American blue-collar workers, and shifts enormous costs onto taxpayers for education, emergency healthcare, housing, and law enforcement. Even if the bill claims “no federal benefits,” indirect costs remain substantial, and local governments bear much of the burden.
Republicans should be expanding detention capacity and streamlining deportations — not creating new protected classes of illegal aliens.
The solution is not to legalize the problem; it is to enforce the law consistently and deter future illegal immigration. The American people understand this. Polling consistently shows strong support for enforcement first, not amnesty-first “compromises.”
As members of the House Freedom Caucus, we stand with the voters who rejected open borders and demanded accountability. We will oppose any legislation that grants mass legal status to illegal aliens, suspends deportations on this scale, or weakens our resolve to restore the rule of law. The DIGNIDAD Act is not a solution — it is a surrender. It must be rejected outright.
No amnesty. No amnesty-lite. No DIGNIDAD Act. That’s our red line.
* * *
Keith Self represents Texas&#8217;s Third Congressional District and serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Andrew Clyde represents Georgia&#8217;s Ninth Congressional District and serves on the House Appropriations and Budget Committees.
Sheri Biggs represents South Carolina’s Third District and serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Randy Fine represents Florida’s Sixth District and serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Bipartisan Lawmakers Launch The Dignity Coalition In Support Of DIGNIDAD

No Amnesty, No Surrender: Why The DIGNIDAD Act Must Die

amnesty

Florida

illegal immigrants

Latinos

Southern Border

U.S. House of Representatives

I Dug Into Plan To Let Millions Of Illegals Stay And It’s Even Worse Than I Thought

This Republican Sponsored Amnesty Bill Is So Much Worse Than I Thought

Immigration

Matt Walsh

Opinion

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