Conservatives on social media ripped Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Ga., for a video he posted to X on Sunday featuring him bench pressing while making political points.
Many of these critics fixated on the amount of weight that Swalwell appeared to be lifting in the video, stating that a fit, grown man Swalwell’s age should be lifting more than that. In the video, Swalwell benches what appears to be 135 pounds while speaking to the camera and criticizing congressional Republicans.
Fox News contributor Joe Concha wrote on X, "So the congressman — who only seems to play on X all day with the most cringe videos ever produced — has two 45 pound weights on the sides of a 45-pound bar, which equals a press of 135 pounds total. This is basically what a freshman football player can easily do 15 reps of…"
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Representative Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was mocked on X this week after posting a video of himself lifting weights while trashing Republicans. (John Lamparski)
Swalwell shared the video last weekend in response to congressional leaders letting lawmakers take their August recess early. Some have accused House leadership of cutting Congress loose to avoid lawmakers having to vote to demand the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
"I should be working right now," Swalwell said in the video. "I should be at the Capitol. I should be in a suit. Instead, Republicans sent us home because they would rather stand up for Donald Trump, than release the Epstein files and stand up for victims."
President Donald Trump’s critics have accused him of covering up details of the Epstein case after the Department of Justice and FBI declared this month that there were no more major details to release to the public about Epstein and his sex-trafficking operation.
Following the backlash, Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all "pertinent" information related to the Epstein case.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., delivers remarks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in 2020. (Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images)
In his video, Swalwell continued: "We could be in Washington, D.C., lowering your healthcare costs, lowering your grocery costs, and restoring your rights. I should be working right now. Instead, I’m pumping iron at the gym." In other similar videos, he was seen playing basketball in the pool and baseball.
Swalwell’s critics were not impressed by his display of strength.
Conservative commentator Paul Szypula posted, "Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) does another cringe ‘I should be at work’ video, this one at the gym where he’s winded half-way through a set of light bench presses. Democrats are trying to attract white male voters. Swalwell at the gym ‘pumping iron’ won’t help."
Conservative podcaster Eric Matheny mocked the weight Swalwell was lifting as well.
"It’s not a flex for a 43-year-old man to bench press what a 14-year-old freshman football player does. What is up with these phony attempts of masculinity? Do Swalwell and Tim Walz use the same PR guy?"
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., got in on the pile-on, sharing a video of her in her home gym telling Swalwell to lift more weight.
In the caption, she wrote, "I just want Eric Swalwell to bench more than 135# and Democrats to stop lying. Congress is always out of session in August no matter who is in charge."
She added, "And yes release the Epstein files but Democrats stop pretending like you suddenly care because you never cared about Epstein while you were in charge the last 4 years!!!"
Conservative talk show host Wendy Bell replied to Swalwell’s clip, "That’s what I bench, Eric."
Reps for Swalwell did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for comment.