On November 26, 2025, Representative Eric Swalwell initiated a lawsuit against Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), who was appointed by former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit alleges that Pulte accessed Swalwell's mortgage records in violation of the Privacy Act and the First Amendment, purportedly motivated by Swalwell's opposition to Trump’s policies. Swalwell stated on social media, "Today I have filed a civil lawsuit against FHA director Bill Pulte for violating the Privacy Act and First Amendment. Director Pulte has combed through private records of political opponents to silence them. There’s a reason the First Amendment - the freedom of speech - comes before all others."

The lawsuit claims that Pulte searched databases at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to obtain Swalwell's mortgage information, which Swalwell argues constitutes viewpoint-based retaliation prohibited by the First Amendment. Earlier in November, Pulte referred Swalwell to the Department of Justice regarding potential mortgage and tax fraud related to a property owned by Swalwell in Washington, D.C. Swalwell is among several Democrats investigated for mortgage fraud during Trump's second term, including Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James, all of whom have denied wrongdoing. Investigations have not yielded conclusive results, with James' indictment recently dismissed.

In his lawsuit, Swalwell contends that Pulte's actions have harmed his reputation, particularly as he recently announced his candidacy for Governor of California. He seeks to have the criminal referral to the DOJ rescinded and is pursuing damages for the alleged violations of the Privacy Act.

In a separate legal matter, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a nearly $1 million penalty against Trump and his former attorney Alina Habba for filing a lawsuit deemed frivolous against Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and others. The court found that Trump's 2022 lawsuit, which initially spanned 108 pages and was later amended to 193 pages, failed to comply with federal court rules and presented tenuous connections between the defendants and the claims made. The court's decision emphasized that many of the legal arguments were frivolous and that basic legal research would have revealed the lack of merit.

This ruling represents another setback for Trump, who has faced multiple legal challenges in recent years. The lawsuit against Clinton and others was part of Trump's response to the Russia investigation, which had been a significant issue during his presidency. The appeals court affirmed a lower court's ruling that found Trump and Habba engaged in sanctionable conduct, noting Trump's pattern of misusing the courts. Following the decision, a spokesperson for Trump's legal team indicated that Trump intends to continue pursuing the matter.