New footage showing FBI agents confront Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport surfaced this week, drawing criticism and mockery across social media.
The clip, first obtained by the California Post, depicts former Rep. Eric Swalwell wearing a black sweatshirt and hat as he steps off a plane, where agents met him at the gate on Aug. 15.
According to prior reporting, the FBI seized Swalwell’s cellphone and laptop at the airport that day. Swalwell resigned from Congress in April following allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.
The following day, agents searched his Washington, D.C., residence, according to earlier accounts.
FBI agents confront Swalwell
Online reaction focused on both the encounter and Swalwell’s attire. Former Rep. George Santos posted, “I needed this lol.” A popular conservative account wrote, “He’s still cooked.” Others compared his outfit to someone headed to an Eminem concert, asking why he was dressed that way.
Swalwell stepped down in April after 13 years in office amid mounting accusations of sexual misconduct. He also ended his bid for California governor, a move that drew attention from Democrats in the House and party activists across the state.
At least five women, including a former staffer, have accused him of misconduct or rape, allegations he has rejected. At the time of his resignation he said he would fight what he called false claims, while taking responsibility for other mistakes.
Separately, the White House recently released declassified materials related to an FBI inquiry into his past relationship with Christine “Fang Fang” Fang, who officials have described as having suspected ties to Chinese intelligence. According to the documents, Swalwell told agents he had “physical relations” with her on multiple occasions, with the last encounter in March 2015.
He was interviewed by the FBI in May 2015 and again in March 2016 regarding the matter. FBI background information is available from the agency’s official website, which outlines how it conducts counterintelligence investigations.
Officials have previously said Fang was believed to have connections to China’s Ministry of State Security, and reports indicated her parents were also linked to Chinese intelligence. China’s main security apparatus, including the Ministry of Public Security, has long been a focus of Western counterintelligence concerns.
Requests for comment were sent to Swalwell’s attorney and the FBI. The White House has not issued further public statements beyond the declassified materials already released.
