Hey, look at this … it's another one of those spontaneous videos where Rep. Eric Swalwell just happens to get caught by an anonymous citizen and asked a question on the street or leaving the restroom.
This time Swalwell posted the "ambush" video with the claim that President Donald Trump is "defending" slavery.
The real story about Trump's "Stalinist purge" of the Smithsonian and other national museums is that Trump signed an order for a complete and full review of the possessions at the Smithsonian Institution. The order was issued in advance of the country's 250th birthday and "aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions."
All of the headlines took that to mean that Trump was going to remove all references to slavery from the museums. What Trump actually posted on Truth Social was, "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been -- Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future." He was defending American exceptionalism, not defending slavery. Well, not according to Swalwell.
It's absolutely insane that the only person in America who is defending slavery is the President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/2GU17OwRFp
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) August 20, 2025
Meanwhile, the Texas House Democrats are comparing their leaving their jobs and hiding out in Illinois to fleeing their slave masters.
You belong to the political party that actually defended and fought to preserve slavery, Eric.
— Chad Felix Greene 🇮🇱 (@chadfelixg) August 20, 2025
Also, no, he did not.
You are really bad at this.
— The Citizens’ Scope 🇺🇸 (@LNMBUSA) August 20, 2025
An infographic produced by the Smithsonian in 2020. You were saying? pic.twitter.com/tyid922T6R
— Political Blasphememes (@PBlasphememes) August 21, 2025
Ah yes, back when the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture erected a display explaining "whiteness" and white culture, and then promptly took it back down.
Shut-up Eric,
— Shane Stumbo (@SimulatedLion) August 20, 2025
nobody’s defending slavery,
no matter how many times you repeat these things it doesn’t make it true.
We'd never presume to know what's going on inside Trump's head, but our guess is that he was asking the museums to also highlight that 360,000 Union troops died in the Civil War to end slavery.
Weren't Democrats worried about who would pick the crops and clean their houses when deportations started? Yeah it was
— LynyrdsMom (@Lynyrds_Mom) August 20, 2025
I don't think that's what he said nor do you. Grifter CCP Lover.
— Yoor Mama (@yoormama) August 21, 2025
There were fewer comments about Swalwell's accusation than there were about his appearance:
You’re looking a lot like Jeffrey Dahmer here. pic.twitter.com/gNFKSBSniZ
— Dr. of the Obvious (@droftheobvious) August 20, 2025
Eric, please shave and take a shower.
— James Long (@jamesvlong) August 20, 2025
Democratic men — Swalwell, Sen. Chris Murphy, Pete Buttigieg — growing beards is part of their effort to reach masculine voters.
Did you see how surprised Swalwell looked when he saw that camera phone? He must have asked the kid to email him the video so he could add his logo and post it to his X account. Shave and take acting classes, dude.
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Editor's Note: President Trump is promoting American exceptionalism as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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