Overview: Photos shared on X appeared to show Rep. Brad Sherman viewing explicit images on a tablet during a flight; the original post reached roughly 12.4 million views. Sherman and a spokesperson say the images surfaced via X's "For You" recommendation algorithm and that he was merely scrolling on a cross-country trip. He acknowledged pausing on an image but denied intentionally viewing pornography and called the situation inappropriate for an airplane. The incident prompted reactions from figures including Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Nancy Mace, and X had not yet responded to requests for comment.
Rep. Brad Sherman Denies Viewing Explicit Images on Flight After Viral Photos Ignite Backlash
Overview: Photos shared on X appeared to show Rep. Brad Sherman viewing explicit images on a tablet during a flight; the original post reached roughly 12.4 million views. Sherman and a spokesperson say the images surfaced via X's "For You" recommendation algorithm and that he was merely scrolling on a cross-country trip. He acknowledged pausing on an image but denied intentionally viewing pornography and called the situation inappropriate for an airplane. The incident prompted reactions from figures including Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Nancy Mace, and X had not yet responded to requests for comment.
12:41 PM, 11/16/2025Politics
Rep. Brad Sherman Responds After Photos of Him Viewing Explicit Images Circulate Online
Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman is pushing back after photographs shared on X appeared to show the 71-year-old California congressman looking at explicit images on a tablet while on an airplane, prompting swift online criticism.
The photos, posted to X on Friday, seemed to capture Sherman with his mouth open while scrolling through what some users described as images of women in underwear. One viral post asked, "Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today?" The post had drawn roughly 12.4 million views by Saturday evening.
A spokesperson for Sherman told Fox News Digital that the images surfaced because of X's recommendation algorithm and that Sherman was simply scrolling through the platform. "This was nothing more than scrolling through Twitter, and, unfortunately, Elon Musk has ruined the Twitter algorithm to give people content that they don’t ask for or subscribe to," the spokesperson said in an email.
Sherman told Punchbowl News the images appeared in X's "For You" feed, which presents recommended content. "This was on Twitter. These pictures came up on 'For You,'" he said, adding that he viewed a variety of posts during a cross-country flight.
Defending his behavior during a long trip, Sherman said, "If you have to fly across the country, you look at a lot of stuff on your tablet." Asked whether he might linger on a photo, he added, "If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah." When pressed on whether the images were appropriate to view on a plane, Sherman said, "Is it pornography? I don't think Elon Musk thinks so. Is it appropriate? No."
The images drew immediate reactions on social media. Donald Trump Jr. replied to the viral post with, "Yikes!!!!" Sherman responded to critics by posting an edited version of the photo in which his iPad screen was replaced with the words, "Release the Epstein files." Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) also commented, writing, "I don’t want to hear a single peep from anyone in/around Congress, or the media, [about] how I stroll through an airport ever again."
X had not immediately responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. At this stage, Sherman and his team maintain the images were algorithmic recommendations rather than deliberately selected content, while critics continue to debate whether such material is appropriate to view in public settings.
What to watch
Further developments may include additional statements from Sherman, any response or clarification from X (formerly Twitter), and continuing public reaction as the post circulates online.