At a House Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration, tensions flared as Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) confronted Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for sharing a fake image of Donald Trump cradling a duck. The hearing, which focused on the testimonies of crime victims, took a surprising turn when Swalwell criticized Jordan for promoting an AI-generated image and spreading unverified claims about migrants.
Swalwell opened his remarks by calling out Jordan for his lack of seriousness. “You would expect some seriousness, some gravitas, respect for the people who came here,” Swalwell said, referencing the witnesses who had come to speak about their loved ones who were lost to crime. “What in the hell is this the chairman tweets? ‘Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio’ because he goes down some crazy rabbit hole completely debunked that aliens are eating pets.”
Jordan had recently shared the image on X (formerly Twitter) along with claims that migrants were stealing and eating pets. The image, which was AI-generated, had no basis in reality, yet Jordan used it to fuel conspiracy theories. Swalwell expressed frustration that, in the context of such an important hearing, Jordan would circulate false information instead of focusing on the real issues at hand.
Swalwell didn’t hold back, pointing out Jordan’s past controversial posts as well. “My God, are you okay, Mr. Chairman? Because last year, for a very long time, you tweeted and promoted Kanye West as he was calling for genocide against the Jews,” Swalwell said. “And now, when we have victims coming here, you’re tweeting this nonsense.”
He continued by questioning Jordan’s state of mind, saying, “I don’t know if the aliens who are eating your ducks are in the room with us right now, but, Mr. Chairman, this is a serious issue.” The remark highlighted Swalwell’s frustration over Jordan’s attempt to derail the focus of the hearing with irrelevant and fabricated claims.
Swalwell concluded his confrontation by apologizing to the crime victims present at the hearing, expressing regret that they had come expecting a more respectful and serious discussion. “I am sorry that you came here expecting seriousness,” Swalwell said, making it clear that he viewed Jordan’s actions as inappropriate and disrespectful given the gravity of the testimonies being shared.