‘GUTLESSfeld’: Rep. Eric Swalwell targets Greg Gutfeld as benchpressgate intensifies

What are your elected officials up to this summer? Fighting online about how much they can bench press, at least as far as Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell are concerned. And now, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld has entered the fray.

It all started when Swalwell shared an X post showing a video of himself bench-pressing what looked to be about 135 pounds. In the caption, Swalwell said he should be working. However, Congress had already entered its August recess, raising speculation that House Speaker Mike Johnson called the break early to postpone a vote on the bipartisan “Epstein Files Transparency Act,” introduced by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna, until September.

Swalwell also shared a video of himself in a pool, captioned, “I should be working right now. But Republicans shut down Congress. So instead I’m in a pool.” In the video, Swalwell mentioned “lowering costs,” presumably meaning the cost of prescription medicine.

MTG’s response

Though Greene supports Massie and Khanna’s bill, she shared a post of her own, showing herself working out, with her son in the background, bench-pressing more weight than Swalwell seemed to lift in his post. Greene said Congress is on recess in August every year, and accused Swalwell of lying, while taking some shots at his strength.

Greene seemed to forget that Johnson called the recess earlier than usual and said he did so to prevent Democrats from using Epstein as “a political battering ram.” 

Amid the Swalwell and Greene back-and-forth, Gutfeld weighed in, not on Epstein, but again, on how much Swalwell seemed to benchpress in his original post. In a panel discussion, Gutfeld said in part, “You know what he reminds me of? He reminds me of an ex trying to win you back, like so desperate, like ‘Look at me, look at what I’m doing. I’m in the gym. I’m in the pool. Alone with no friends.’”

Bench press competition on the White House lawn?

Now, Swalwell has challenged Gutfeld to a bench-press competition, stating on X, “Here’s a deal for @Gutfeldfox. (Never heard of him til he spent 8 mins criticizing what I bench press). *The deal: if tough guy benches more than me for 10 reps I’ll leave Congress. If not, he leaves Fox News. I’ll give Greg 48 hrs to accept, then I’m calling him GUTLESSfeld”

It’s not just Gutfeld, either. Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin one-upped Swalwell’s challenge. “Eric, if you’re looking for a reason to leave Congress,” Mullin said in an X post. “I’ll be your Huckleberry. I’ll take your offer or, whatever your max is, I’ll do for a minimum of 5 reps. You’re welcome to counter.” Clearly, September can’t come soon enough, so our elected officials can get back to work and stop focusing on this nonsense.