Swalwell's Repeated Travel to Doha Under Scrutiny

Representative Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who is currently running for Governor of California, undertook a minimum of six trips to Doha, Qatar, between 2020 and 2024. These trips were financed by sponsors linked to Qatar, continuing a trend of foreign-funded travel that has previously generated criticism.

House filings reviewed by Fox News Digital revealed the extent of these repeated visits. This pattern persisted even after Swalwell faced backlash for an $84,000 trip to the Gulf emirate in 2021, which was sponsored by the U.S.-Qatar Business Council.

Details of Qatar-Funded Itineraries

The disclosures from the House of Representatives clerk detail Swalwell's travel schedule. He visited Doha in 2020, twice in 2022, once in 2023, and once in 2024.

Sponsorship for these excursions was provided either by the Embassy of Qatar or the U.S.-Qatar Business Council. These privately funded trips contrast with official congressional delegations paid for by the government, which Business Insider previously noted places them in an "ethical gray area" that can allow powerful interests to influence lawmakers.

Past Controversy and Ethical Concerns

Swalwell previously drew criticism following the 2021 trip. This controversy surfaced after Business Insider published a photograph showing Swalwell and now-Senator Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., along with their spouses, participating in a camel excursion near the Four Seasons in Doha.

At the time of that trip, Swalwell served on the House Intelligence Committee, while Gallego was a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Following the backlash, the U.S.-Qatar Business Council clarified to the New York Post that they only covered "costs directly associated with travel and the working agenda of the trip," not the camel excursion itself.

Agenda and Diplomatic Context

The approved agenda for the 2021 trip included discussions on business opportunities between the U.S. and Qatar, meetings with hospitality industry figures, and sessions with the Qatari ambassador to the U.S. It also featured a briefing concerning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which Qatar hosted.

Qatar has faced ongoing international scrutiny regarding its alleged connections to Hamas. In September, Israeli media reported that Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, who managed Hamas finances, were targeted in an explosion in the nation's capital.

Rival Reactions and Official Responses

Steve Hilton, a GOP gubernatorial rival, strongly criticized the travel, stating, "It's corrupt. You shouldn't be bought by foreign governments." Hilton asserted that career politicians are being bribed to represent other countries instead of their constituents.

Ali Al-Ansari, media attaché at the Embassy of Qatar in the U.S., defended the visits. He stated that congressional visits to Doha are a "routine and longstanding practice across administrations and parties," aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and fostering mutual understanding.

Al-Ansari confirmed that all travel is conducted transparently and in full compliance with U.S. disclosure requirements, characterizing such engagements as a common feature of international diplomacy.

Related Controversies Surrounding Swalwell

Swalwell's office did not provide a comment regarding the repeated Qatar-funded trips. However, he recently addressed unrelated past controversies concerning his association with Christine ‘Fang Fang’ Fang, a Chinese national suspected of being a Ministry of State Security operative.

Swalwell dismissed the decade-old story as "nonsense," claiming the FBI cleared him of wrongdoing immediately. He also faced scrutiny over campaign donations from Keliang 'Clay' Zhu, whose law firm has alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party, and an unearthed 2013 photo of him meeting a senior CCP diplomat.

Furthermore, Swalwell has faced ethics questions regarding his AI startup, which he established with his congressional chief of staff, and allegations concerning his primary residency status during his gubernatorial run, which ultimately failed to remove him from the ballot.