Swalwell Compares Trump to Son Over Alleged Illegal Orders

California Representative Eric Swalwell made a striking comparison between President Donald Trump and his eight-year-old son during an appearance on MS NOW. He suggested that Trump had “issued illegal orders,” drawing attention to concerns over the president’s commands.

In a social media video from November 18, Swalwell responded to a group of six Democratic members of Congress who advocated for military and intelligence officials to defy what they consider “unlawful orders” from the president. He characterized Trump’s behavior as a “tantrum,” particularly in light of accusations of sedition against the six Democrats. Swalwell referenced the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot as part of his rationale for asserting that Trump had issued illegal directives in the past.

“The president is telling himself, and his reaction is that he keeps telling other service members, ‘We don’t have to follow illegal orders,'” he said when co-host Simone Sanders Townsend asked if it was reasonable to worry about possible illegal directives from Trump.

He drew an analogy to parenting: “It reminds me of my 8-year-old son. When I’m downstairs working and I see him heading to the screen, I sometimes tell him, ‘I better not find out you’re doing YouTube.’ If he throws a tantrum, he sometimes does,” Swalwell shared. He also indicated that he reacts similarly to Trump’s threats, implying that they stem from a recognition of past illegal orders.

Swalwell illustrated his point further by recalling a moment from Trump’s first term when the president allegedly inquired why military officials couldn’t just shoot protesters, which he deemed illegal. “After January 6th, he directed the mob into the Capitol,” Swalwell stated, reinforcing his argument about Trump’s past actions.

The November 18 video featured fellow Democrats, including Senators Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, along with several representatives. They urged military and intelligence personnel to “reject illegal orders” and emphasized the importance of standing up for laws and the Constitution.

In response to the video, Trump retaliated on Truth Social, declaring that those who urged the military to disobey his orders should face jail time, dismissing their actions as “mayhem at the highest level.” He claimed, “That never happened and never will!”

On a Sunday segment with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz, Slotkin was asked if she believed Trump had issued illegal orders previously. She stated, “As far as I know, I don’t know of anything illegal,” while alluding to some legal complexities concerning Trump’s airstrikes against drug-trafficking ships in the Caribbean, suggesting they weren’t illegal.

Interestingly, Swalwell was referred to the Department of Justice for potential mortgage fraud issues a week before announcing his bid for governor. This isn’t the first time Swalwell made a comparison to his children—he had previously likened Trump’s behavior to that of his three-year-old son regarding economic policies.