‘Stupid, narcissistic idiot’: Watch Victor Davis Hanson shred California candidate for governor Eric Swalwell
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is known basically for two things: his virulent hatred of and opposition to anything connected to President Donald Trump, and his “relationship” with Christine Fang, who has been described as both a Chinese spy and an intimate acquaintance of Swalwell.
Victor Davis Hanson, on the other hand, is acknowledged as a military historian, a conservative political commentator, an expert of modern and ancient warfare and professor emeritus of classics at California State University-Fresno.
His writings have been in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, National Review, the Washington Times and more.
He’s also the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow in classics and military history at the Hoover Institution, and visiting professor at Hillsdale College and has been awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 by President George W. Bush.
So when the one, Hanson, describes the second, Swalwell, as a “stupid, narcissistic idiot,” many people take note, including Californians who are being asked by Swalwell to make him their governor.
The comments are in the headlines because the FBI has proposed releasing the files it gathered about Swalwell and “Fang Fang” to the public and Swalwell, who when other people are named in FBI files has demanded their release, insists in his case that shouldn’t happen.
His lawyers have sent a cease and desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel demanding that they agree, in writing, not to release the files about him.
“The congressman has never been accused of wrongdoing in that matter and your attempt to release the file is a transparent attempt to smear him and undermine his campaign for governor of California,” lawyers Norm Eisen and Sean Hecker threatened. “Your actions threaten to expose you, others at the FBI, and the FBI itself to significant legal liability.”
It was reported earlier the FBI was working to release the investigative file about Swalwell and Fang, who reports said, “allegedly sought to develop ties to politicians in California and elsewhere.”
Here are Hanson’s comments about Swalwell, from before the latest dispute involving Swalwell’s secret FBI file, arose:
VDH: Eric Swalwell wasn’t the only one Fang Fang approached in CA — he was just the one stupid enough to fall into the trap.
"I wrote some critical things of China, and Fang Fang came to see me."
“The way she changed accents and how she was dressed, you would have to be a… pic.twitter.com/DPtVFJdpym
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) April 1, 2026
Hanson described how Swalwell wasn’t the only target for “Fang Fang.”
When Fang visited him, he said, “The way she changed accents and how she was dressed, you would have to be a stupid, narcissistic idiot to fall for that.”
A commentary at Twitchy said, “Ever since Kash Patel announced that the FBI would be releasing files related to Swalwell’s past inappropriate relationship with Chinese spy Fang Fang — and, more importantly, his alleged leaking of classified information to her in return for campaign fundraising — the Congressman and would-be California governor has been in non-stop damage control mode, not to mention full-on panic mode.”
The commentary also noted, “Back in 2023, Swalwell urged us to ‘trust the FBI’ when it comes to taking his word about having done nothing wrong with a Chinese spy. Last year he said the American people deserve transparency, but this was about the Epstein files: When it comes to the Fang Fang files Swalwell doesn’t seem to be such a big fan of transparency.”
He told MS NOW the FBI “basically exonerated him” and to release files now to “be smearing himn.”
What a video. Can’t make this up.
2023. Swalwell says not to take his word that he didn’t do anything wrong with the Chinese spy, but instead to take the FBI’s word for it.
Hey Swalwell, if the FBI doesn’t have anything, what are you fighting to stop them from releasing? pic.twitter.com/9I91GmItRm
— MAZE (@mazemoore) April 1, 2026