Congressman Caught Looking at Twitter Full of Lingerie Pics Blames Elon Musk: ‘It’s the Algorithm!’

When in doubt, blame Elon.

California Congressman Brad Sherman, 71, is trying to explain why he was caught on a plane scrolling through photos of lingerie-clad women — and he says it’s all X’s fault.

The longtime Democrat was photographed mid-flight looking at what appeared to be softcore content on his iPad, with the shots quickly going viral after being posted by the Capitol Hill gossip account Dear White Staffers. The images were later reposted by Donald Trump Jr., turning an awkward moment into a full-blown political meme.

Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today? His district deserves better representation than this!! #CA32 pic.twitter.com/gAYZ82tyr2

— Dear White Staffers (@dearwhitestaff) November 14, 2025

Sherman told Punchbowl News’ John Bresnahan that the scandal is nothing more than a misunderstanding — and that his feed was sabotaged by Elon Musk’s “For You” algorithm.

“This was on Twitter. These pictures came up on ‘For You.’ I must’ve looked at more than 1,000 posts,” Sherman said. “Is it pornography? I don’t think Elon Musk thinks so. Is it appropriate? No.”

According to X’s rules, content showing “full or partial nudity” or “close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts” qualifies as “Adult Content.” Users can toggle those images off, though Sherman didn’t mention whether he had.

In the leaked photos, Sherman’s tablet screen clearly shows multiple images of women in lingerie — all appearing in a row. The congressman didn’t exactly deny enjoying the view, admitting:

“If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah.”

The 13-term representative then went on the offensive, accusing the right of using the viral moment to distract from the ongoing release of Jeffrey Epstein-related emails.

“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,” Sherman said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Don Jr. and the White House are pushing this story when there is no story. Shame on them.”

Sherman’s defense comes amid renewed scrutiny of Musk’s controversial control over X’s algorithm — which has been accused of boosting his own tweets and right-wing content, but not adult material.

So, was it a harmless algorithm fail or an unfiltered thirst scroll? Either way, it’s the latest reminder that no one — not even a congressman — is safe from the chaos of Elon’s “For You” feed.